American Society of Civil Engineers Approves Joint ISA/OAAA Proposal on Wind-loads
In late September, the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) Wind Loads Subcommittee voted to approve a joint proposal submitted by ISA and the Outdoor Advertising Association of America (OAAA). The proposal will affect wind design requirements currently under development and will help sign companies lower the cost of doing business. The proposal is based on results from the joint ISA/OAAA wind-loads research project conducted at Texas Tech University from August 2008 to May 2012. The project independently evaluated wind design requirements applicable to outdoor sign structures which are incorporated into the ASCE/SEI 7-05 and ASCE/SEI 7-10 Standards.
Outcomes from the ISA/OAAA study call for modifications to the criteria currently used in creating structural designs for outdoor, on-premise signage and billboards. Approval of this joint proposal will provide a more accurate assessment of the safety requirements for sign structure designs and will positively impact overall costs of outdoor signage projects.
ISA is currently working with ASCE and OAAA to determine the changes that will be incorporated into the 2016 ASCE wind design requirements. For more information, contact Bill Dundas, ISA Director of Technical & Regulatory Affairs.
