INTERNATIONAL WIND ENGINEERING FORUM

Tokyo, JAPAN and Fort Collins, Colorado, USA

Vol. 1, November 1994

ESTABLISHMENT OF INTERNATIONAL WIND ENGINEERING FORUM

MOTIVATION

Wind engineering problems, including wind resistant design, wind response and wind environment evaluations have been recently recognized as important issues to be addressed by civil engineering community. Information exchange in this field has been carried out through publications in technical literature, during domestic and international meetings and through personal contacts. Emergence of global economy and its impact on engineering, including wind engineering, brought into attention the need for an improved worldwide information and technology exchange. Although in many respects the international technical information flow in wind engineering has improved in recent years, several obstacles, including language barrier, exist. The International Wind Engineering Forum (IWEF), has been established to aid and bring to a new level exchange of information and cooperation in the area of wind engineering. The idea for the IWEF was first proposed by representatives of the Japanese wind engineering community. As a result of number of meetings with the U.S. representatives, the present concept and the organizational structure of the IWEF have been developed.

PURPOSE AND GOALS

The purpose of the IWEF is to promote and facilitate international exchange of information, collaborative research, and joint education and service activities in the area of wind engineering. Specific goals of the IWEF include:

(A) Exchange, disseminate and synthesize wind engineering technical information;
(B) Organize, facilitate and promote educational activities focused on selected topics of wind engineering;
(C) Promote and aid wind engineering technology transfer;
(D) Offer wind engineering technical expertise;
(E) Promote beneficial to wind engineering activities in other areas of engineering and science.

ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE

The IWEF is currently headed by two Co-Chairmen, Prof. T. Ohkuma (Kanagawa University) and Prof. B. Bienkiewicz (Colorado State University), representing the two founding sides, Japan and the U.S. The Co-Chairmen are aided by the Advisory Board, proposed to consist of four U.S. and four Japanese members. The IWEF has presently two offices, one in the U.S., at Colorado State University, and one in Tokyo, at the Japan Association for Building Research Promotion.

PLANNED ACTIVITIES

A tentative plan of the IWEF activities includes:

(1) Collection of publications and information on wind engineering research facilities and activities in Japan. A data base will be established in English language and it will be made available to interested countries.
(2) Establishment of data base on wind engineering publications, facilities and activities in other countries.
(3) Establishment of data base on wind disasters, damage and mitigation and facilitation of surveys of damaged sites.
(4) Organizing lecture meetings and seminars on wind resistant design of buildings and structures, and new developments in wind engineering.
(5) Planning and promotion of advanced wind engineering research projects.
(6) Publishing the semi-annual newsletter describing current activities of the IWEF, and providing updates on the IWEF data base and available publications, as well as other relevant wind engineering information.

INAUGURAL MEETING OF IWEF

The inaugural meeting of the IWEF was held at Toranomon Pastoral Hotel in Tokyo, on March 17, 1994. Over 100 participants took part in the meeting. Four U.S. and a number of Japanese speakers made presentations. As is shown in the enclosed program of the meeting, Figure 1, the speakers addressed a broad range of topics.

INAUGURAL MEETING OF THE INTERNATIONAL WIND ENGINEERING FORUM
Toranomon Pastoral Hotel, Tokyo, Japan, March 17, 1994

Presiding: Prof. J. Kanda (University of Tokyo)
9:00-9:30 Opening Address / Proposal of the International Engineering Forum: Dr. Fujii (Wind Engineering Institute CO,. Ltd.)
8:30-10:30 Wind Engineering Research in USA: Prof. A. Kareem (University of Notre Dome)
10:15-10:30 Coffee Break
Presiding: Prof. J.R McDonald (Texas Tech University)
10:30-11:15 Wind Engineering Activities in Taiwan: Prof. CM. Cheng (Tamkang University)
11:15-12:00 Wind Engineering Activities in Japan: Prof. Y. Tamura (Tokyo Institute of Polytechnics)
12:00-13:30 Lunch
Presiding: Prof. H. Kawai (Tokyo Denki University)
13:30-14:15 US-Japan Activities in Wind Engineering: Prof. B. Bienkiewicz (Colorado State University)
14:15-15:00 US-Japan Governmental Organizations Cooperative Activities: Dr. H. Okada (Building Research Institute)
15:00-15:15 Coffee Break
Presiding: Prof.A. Kareem (University of Notre Dome)
15:15-16:00 Wind Engineering Research: Status and Issues: Dr. J. E. Sabadell (National Science Foundation)
16:00-16:45 CSU/TTU Cooperation Program in Wind Engineering: Prof. J.R McDonald (Texas Tech University)
16:00-17:00 Concluding / Philosophical Remarks: Prof. T. Ohkuma (Kanagawa University)
18:00-20:30 Party

Figure 1. Program of Inaugural Meeting

Figure 2. Commemorative Picture - Speakers, Members of Advisory Board and Guests

In addition to the presented proposal of the IWEF, the speakers presented overviews of the current wind engineering activities in Japan and the U.S. and

IWEF SUMMER SEMINAR

The IWEF Summer Seminar - Wind Resistant Countermeasures for Roofs - was held on August 26, 1994, in Arcadia Ichigaya, Tokyo, Japan. The program of the seminar is shown in Figure 3. The seminar was focused on selected topics believed to be of interest to housing and roof manufacturers and designers. Thirty representatives of this and related industries participated in the seminar. The presentations were followed by discussions, which provided a mutually beneficial exchange of views and experiences related to the presented topics. A survey form was distributed to the participants before and collected after the seminar.

SUMMER SEMINAR OF THE INTERNATIONAL WIND ENGINEERING FORUM
August 26, 1994

10:00-10:05 Opening Address: Dr. K. Fujii (Coordinating Secretary of the IWEF, Wind Engineering Institute)
10:05-11:05 Introduction of Wind Resistant Design: Prof. Y. Tamura (Tokyo Institute of Polytechnics)
11:05-12:05 Damage of Steel Sheet Roofs and Its Countermeasures: Prof. T. Ohkuma (Kanagawa University)
12:05-13:05 Lunch Break
13:05-13:45 Video Presentations on Roof Damages
13:45-14:45 Damage of Tile Roofs and Its Countermeasures: Dr. H. Okada (Building Research Institute)
14:45-15:55 Damage of Roofs and Countermeasures in the US: Prof. B. Bienkiewicz (Colorado State University)

Figure 3. Program of IWEF Summer Seminar

The participants were asked for their opinion on the seminar content, format and suggestions for possible future seminar topics and comments on the proposed initiatives of the IWEF. One of the seminar presentations, a paper entitled - Damages of Roofs and Countermeasures in the U.S. - authored by B. Bienkiewicz et al, was included in Vol. 94 of the monthly magazine published by Japan Metal Roofing Association.

Figure 4. IWEF Summer Seminar

CURRENT AND NEAR FUTURE ACTIVITIES OF IWEF

Current activities of the IWEF are focused on:

(A) Summary of survey forms distributed and collected during the Inaugural Meeting of the IWEF and during the IWEF Summer Seminar;
(B) Development of a data base of wind engineering papers published by Japanese and U.S. authors in 1993-1994;
(C) Promotion of the IWEF and development contacts with wind engineering communities in interested countries.

Near future activities include:

(A) Completion of a data base on U.S. and Japanese wind engineering papers published in 1993-94;
(B) Collection of information on wind engineering facilities;
(C) Development of a short course on wind resistant design of buildings, towers and long-span bridges;
(D) Planning and promotion of an advanced wind engineering workshop, and
(E) Preparation and review of papers and technical reports.

EXPECTATIONS FOR IWEF AND ITS FUTURE

(A) It is hoped that the IWEF will become a useful and effective vehicle for worldwide wind engineering information exchange and international cooperation.
(B) As a principle, the IWEF activities will be carried out on a voluntary basis, with national IWEF branches developing in each interested country.
(C) It is hoped that each participating country, represented in Figure 5 as a circle, will join the IWEF (central circle) with a commitment for creating an environment of effective exchange of information and international cooperation.
(D) It is expected that countries from all over the world will participate in activities of the IWEF.

Figure 5. Anticipated Future Structure of IWEF

FROM EDITORS:

For further information regarding the IWEF, contact

INTERNATIONAL WIND ENGINEERING FORUM

Colorado State University, Engineering Research Center
Fort Collins, Colorado 80523, USA
TEL: 303-491-2545
FAX: 303-491-8200
or: Japan Association for Building Research Promotion
5-26-20 Kenchiku-kaikan, Shiba, Minato-ku, Tokyo, 108 JAPAN
TEL: 03-3453-1281
FAX: 03-3453-0428

To be included on the IWEF mailing list, please forward the following information to one of the addresses listed above:

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