FAQs and the Latest ASCE 7-22 Updates

By: Emily Guglielmo, S.E., P.E., F.SEI

This session is designed to address your most pressing wind design questions, drawing from the extensive expertise of the NCSEA Wind Engineering Committee. It will begin with a discussion of the most frequently asked questions in wind design, covering key topics such as analysis methods, wind loads on balcony handrails, drift limits and serviceability considerations, and the impact of wind on rooftop screen walls, temporary structures, canopies, and corner zones. Additional insights will be provided on effective wind area calculations and other critical aspects of wind engineering.

 Following this deep dive into common challenges, the session will transition to an overview of the newly adopted ASCE 7-22 wind provisions. Highlights include important updates to wind design for main wind force-resisting systems (MWFRS) and components and cladding (C&C) in elevated buildings, the introduction of a dedicated chapter on tornado-resistant design, and new long return period hazard maps. The session will also explore the recently developed Prestandard for Performance-Based Wind Design, which provides a new framework for advancing wind engineering practices.

Whether you're looking for practical solutions to everyday wind design challenges or seeking to stay ahead of evolving industry standards, this session will provide the knowledge and insights you need.

Speaker Bio:

Emily Guglielmo earned her bachelor’s degree in Civil Engineering from UCLA, and her master's degree in Structural Engineering from UC Berkeley. She has nearly two decades of structural engineering experience, all with Martin/Martin, Inc. She began her career in their Denver, CO area office, and is currently a Principal with the firm, managing their San Francisco Bay Area office. She has lectured on wind load provisions nationally and internationally and is the Chair of the NCSEA Wind Engineering Committee and a voting member of the ASCE 7 Wind Loads Subcommittee. A licensed SE, Emily has received a number of awards, including an SEI Fellow and the Susan M. Frey NCSEA Educator Award, for effective instruction for practicing structural engineers