cat 5 , 200mph wind pressure can damage overhead interstate highway signs

1. Category 5 Hurricane Wind Damage
FEA stress analysis
Highway Sign
10/29/2017 rev B
Don Blanchet
3B Associates
dwb3298@verizon.net
Prepared for: FL-DOT
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2. Solidworks 2018 model
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Steel construction welded and bolted
Steady 200 MPH wind loading

3. FEA mesh – 450,000 d.o.f.
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4. Boundary Conditions
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Bolted to heavy
Concrete supports
2 places

5. Results: permanent
deformation – 2.89 inches
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6. Results: peak stress
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Steel yield point
Exceeded
Near base of vertical
supports

7. Conclusions
 Simple static analysis predicts failure
at a steady wind pressure.
 More complex dynamic analysis
recommended CFD turbulence
calculations to predict vibration
response due to downstream vortex
shedding.
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