Wind design for Mexico: A review of the period 1964-2003

摘要

Efforts since 1964 aimed at reducing strong wind damage in Mexico are reviewed. Up to 1980 wind studies produced Mexico City's design codes of practice, and maximum wind zones maps of the country. After 1981, isotach maps were produced and updated (1993), incorporating up to date technology and including innovations in the analysis of raw data and their sources, in models developed to predict maximum wind velocities from historical reconstruction of hurricanes and in the separate statistical treatment of hurricane and other winds. These maps were used to design electrical transmission lines with specifically developed procedures, and incorporated in a wind design handbook, which has been used since 1993 for general structural design throughout the country. Recent endeavors included wind estimation for bridge construction, evaluation of hurricane winds in the Caribbean Sea and the solution of some aero-elastic problems.