MiTek 20/20 software lets you design for many different wind loading conditions.

It uses
two general methods for wind load design: ASCE 7 and User Defined. In some rare instances,
the building designer may require an analysis using specific wind pressures so you would use
User Defined, see figure 1 below.

Figure 1. User Defined Wind Tab in MiTek 20/20

Generally, wind design is prescribed in the building code, and determined in accordance with
ASCE 7. The MiTek software uses the Main Wind Force Method (hereby referred to as
MWFRS), and the Components and Cladding method (hereby referred to as C&C) in ASCE 7.
The MWFRS method is defined as: An assemblage of structural elements assigned to
provide support and stability for the overall structure and the system generally receives wind
loading from more than one surface. MWFRS has two wind zones: the gable end and interior.

The gable end zone is defined as 2 x 10% of least horizontal dimension or 0.4 x mean roof
height, whichever is smaller, but not less than either 4% of least horizontal dimension or 3 ft (0.9
m). Interior zone would be for all the rest of the trusses. (See figure 2 below for simplified
diagram)

Figure 2. MWFRS Wind Zones

You will also notice that there are two design methods within MWFRS, Low-rise and All
Heights. Low-rise is defined as an enclosed or partially enclosed building with a mean roof
height less than or equal to 60 ft and a mean roof height that does not exceed the least horizontal
dimension. The all Heights method was recently added to the program, and can be used to
design for any roof height. MiTek recommends the use of All Heights, if enough information has
been provided to answer all wind loading fields with a reasonable amount of accuracy, because it
will typically help you to be more competitive with reduced uplift anchorage requirements.
The C&C method is defined as: Elements of the building envelope that do not qualify as
part of the MWFRS. C&C is the most conservative and can be described simply as dealing with
pockets of high wind pressure applied to one small element of a whole structure at a time. This
may be the appropriate setting for small trusses such as End Jacks, although some jurisdictions
and building designers require this to be used for all trusses. The C&C method breaks the roof
up into 3 zones: Interior, End, and Corner. The End zone is defined as 10% of least horizontal
dimension or 0.4 x mean roof height, whichever is smaller, but not less than either 4% of least
horizontal dimension or 3 ft (0.9 m). The corner zones could be defined as overlapping sections
of end zone. Interior zone would be the areas between these zones. (See simplified diagram
below)

Figure 3. C & C Wind Zones

The MiTek software will allow you to design with either of these methods, or a combination of
both, referred to as the Hybrid method. In the absence of building designer or code specification,
the Hybrid method is the MiTek recommended method, as it uses the more conservative design
of either method for structural design and plating, but uses only the MWFRS for uplift reaction
reporting, which will generally report uplift reactions much less than the C&C method.
The first step in the wind design is to choose the correct edition of ASCE 7 Table 1 shows the
corresponding ASCE 7 code to the building code.
Table 1. Corresponding Codes
Building Codes
IBC/IRC 2000, WISC/TPI 2002, FBC 2001
IBC/IRC 2003, FBC2004
IBC/IRC 2006

Corresponding ASCE 7 Code

Now we will look at the loading dialog in the MiTek 20/20 Engineering software.

Figure 4. Wind Loading Box

At the top of the Wind load dialog, you have the Exposure category and the Occupancy
Category. The exposure category is dealing with the obstructions to wind within a 2600 foot
distance of the structure or 1500 feet for structures with a mean roof height of 30 feet or less.
Exposure B refers to most suburban areas where buildings, etc. of 30 feet in height or more
surround the structure. Exposure C is for open grassland with scattered obstructions having
heights generally less than 30 feet. Exposure D is for buildings along the shoreline of water at
least one mile across excluding hurricane prone regions. The Occupancy categories are all
described in the in the drop down menu of the MiTek 20/20 software. For a more complete
description, refer to ASCE 7.
Probably the most impactful option in wind design is the wind velocity. Generally, you should
choose User define wind and enter the velocity for the area you are designing for, which can be
found on the Basic Wind Speeds map found in your state code book or ASCE 7. There are also
some pre-set wind velocities. Only two would apply to our US customers: High and Hurricane
wind. When running the FBC code and using the Hurricane wind (High Velocity Hurricane
Zone), the wind speed will automatically increase to 140. In versions prior to 7.0, this would
also give you the option for setting the Directionality Factor, which can be adjusted any time

you are designing with the All Heights method in 7.0. This factor should always be set at 0.85
unless otherwise specified by the jurisdiction having authority. Using the 0.85 factor is the
default setting and it takes a 15% reduction in wind loading being applied to the truss.
As previously stated, Low Rise MWFRS Roof Zone breaks the roof up into 2 zones: Gable End
Zone and Interior. You can choose Automatic for the MWFRS Roof Zone, and the program will
calculate which zone the trusses falls in using Truss Dist to Eave near the bottom right of the
wind dialog. Note: The Truss Dist to Eave (horz. distance from truss to exterior wall) would still
need to be entered to have the software determine the correct zone.
The C-C Roof Zone breaks the roof up into 3 zones: Gable End Zone, Interior and Corner. Most
trusses pass through multiple zones and therefore Automatic is probably the best setting to be
used most of the time for the C-C Roof Zone. The Automatic setting relies on the Truss
Category and the Truss Dist to Eave located at the bottom of the wind tab to apply the correct
zones.
When you choose automatic roof zones you will notice that you are asked to provide a few other
pieces of information. You will need to enter the truss category, the Truss Dist to Eave, and
some building dimensions. The Truss Category and Building Dimensions which are the overall
length and width of the building; the Truss Dist to Eave is the shortest distance from that truss to
the exterior wall, as noted before. Note: When importing trusses from TrussFramer this
information will automatically be entered into the program in a future version.
The opening condition options include Enclosed and Partially Enclosed. Most buildings in the
United States can be considered Enclosed which results in lower wind pressures. Buildings that
need to be considered Partially Enclosed include those in the Wind Born Debris Regions and
those with a large amount of openings in one wall relative to the other walls in the building. The
description of Partially Enclosed Buildings from ASCE states that a partially enclosed building
meets both of these conditions:
1.
The total area of openings in a wall that receives positive external pressure exceeds the
sum of the areas of openings in the balance of the building envelope (walls and roof) by more
than 10%.
2.
The total area of openings in a wall that receives positive external pressure exceeds 4
square feet or 1% of the area of that wall, whichever is smaller, and the percentage of openings
in the balance of the building envelope does not exceed 20%.
Note that there is not an option for open buildings. This is because the code has historically
assumed that with an open building the wind blows in one side and out the other so it is the least
conservative of the three. Therefore we have historically advised using enclosed or partially
enclosed types for the design of trusses as these were more conservative.
Recent code changes in ASCE7-05 created open building criteria requiring separate
programming efforts and these building types cannot be covered by the previous two setting as
customary done.

If you are running C&C ASCE 7-05, you will notice another choice labeled # of C-C Load
Cases. If you are running 1 load case, you are not using the directional approach and therefore
you are subjecting the truss for the maximum loads from all directions at once.
See figure 5 below.

Figure 5. C & C Wind Zones when using 1 Load Case

But if you wanted to be less conservative and more accurate, you could choose to run two C&C
wind load cases. This will better approximate actual wind behavior and turbulence occurrence
on the truss from different directions. This will run two C&C load cases left and right. See figure
6 below.

Figure 6. C & C Wind Zones when using 2 Load Case

Per TPI 6.4.13 when designing for wind you can have your DOLs set for lumber and plate to a
max of 1.6, unless otherwise specified by your building designer or jurisdiction having authority.
The Max Dead Loads are used to resist the uplift from wind and therefore the smaller they are,
the more conservative they are. They are restricted to being 0.6 times the dead loads used in the
general load tab, except on Ag trusses where the dead loads are more accurately designed for.

The sections of the truss that are exposed to wind that may be selected to be on or off include
Cantilevers, Porches and End Verticals. See Below.

Figure 7. Exposed to Wind Dialog Box

Cantilevers and End Verticals are self explanatory. Porch loading applies uplift pressure to the
underside of the truss starting at the first bearing from the end and turning off at the next bearing.
Therefore if a truss with just a bearing at each end is designed with porch left turned on, the
whole truss will receive loads applied in the upward direction along the entire bottom chord. So
it would be very conservative to leave this on as a default.
If you have questions regarding any of this information please free to call your MiTek Engineer.