Reliability analysis of roof sheathing panels exposed to a hurricane wind

Light-frame wood roofs are frequently used in the US for residential and commercial construction. High wind events, such as hurricanes, may cause severe damage to these structures by breaking the roof envelope and allowing penetration of wind-driven rain. Most previous wood panel reliability studies have used static, uniform wind pressure load models and code-specified load distribution rules for analysis. This study re-estimates the reliability of roof sheathing panels exposed to a specific hurricane event using actual wind pressure data and a more refined structural analysis model. The objective is to examine the adequacy of the simplified wind load and structural analysis models used for roof panel reliability analysis. In the procedure here, panel failure behavior is modeled by individual fastener extraction from the panel as dynamic wind pressure is increased. For reliability analysis, the limit state is based on panel pull-off. The results show that the use of a refined model provides some significant differences in panel reliability found from simplified techniques.