What are some of the things to keep in mind when designing steel structures in typhoon-prone areas?

In typhoon-prone areas, steel structure design needs to pay special attention to the following aspects:

Wind-resistant design: this is the core element of steel structure design. The design should fully consider the wind level and wind direction of the typhoon, as well as the possible wind pressure and wind vibration effects. Through reasonable structural layout and member selection, the overall stiffness and stability of the structure can be improved to resist the strong wind load of the typhoon. At the same time, the wind resistance should be fully considered in the connection and node design of the structure to avoid connection failure or node damage in the typhoon.

Anti-corrosion design: Due to the large amount of rain and humid environment brought by the typhoon, the steel structure is easy to suffer from corrosion. Therefore, anti-corrosion measures, such as the use of corrosion-resistant coatings, surface treatments such as galvanizing or plastic spraying, as well as increasing the drainage and ventilation facilities of the structure, should be fully considered in the design to extend the service life of the structure.

Drainage design: The large amount of precipitation brought by typhoons may lead to the accumulation of water inside the steel structure building, which will have an impact on the structural safety and use function. Therefore, the drainage system, including gutter, downpipe, and drainage outlet, should be reasonably set up in the design to ensure that rainwater can be smoothly discharged. At the same time, attention should also be paid to the prevention of rainwater backflow and leakage problems.

Node design: The node is a key part of the steel structure, and its performance directly affects the stability and safety of the whole structure. In areas where typhoons are frequent, the node design should give full consideration to its wind-resistant performance and bearing capacity. For example, high-strength bolt connection, welding connection, or combination connection can be used to ensure that the nodes will not be damaged in typhoons.

Maintenance and overhaul: In typhoon-frequent areas, steel structure buildings may be damaged to different degrees in the course of use. Therefore, maintenance and overhaul work should be carried out regularly to identify and deal with problems and hidden dangers in the structure promptly. This includes checking whether the connections and nodes of the structure are loose or damaged, whether the coating is peeling or corroded, and whether the drainage system is smooth.

In summary, when designing steel structures in typhoon-prone areas, full consideration needs to be given to the requirements of wind resistance, corrosion prevention, drainage, node design, and maintenance and overhaul to ensure the safety and stability of the structure.