The Solar Photovoltaic (PV) industry is experiencing phenomenal growth. Wind loads for ground-mounted PV power plants are often developed by using static pressure coefficients from wind tunnel studies in calculation methods found in ASCE 7. Structural failures of utility scale PV plants are rare events, but some failures have been observed in code-compliant structures. 

 

Many wind loading codes and standards define flexible structures as slender structures that have a fundamental natural frequency less than 1 Hz. This paper demonstrates that this is not a suitable threshold for small structures like ground-mounted arrays of photovoltaic panels because structures this small can experience both self-excitation and buffeting from upwind panels at frequencies well above this value during both serviceability and design wind events. 

 

 

 

The Solar Photovoltaic (PV) industry is experiencing rapid growth in the United States. In 2012, SEAOC published PV2-2012, a white paper titled Wind Design for Low-Profile Solar Photovoltaic Arrays on Flat Roofs. This white paper was well-received by the solar industry and enforcement agencies, and has gained prominence as the industry standard guidance for rooftop wind loads. Through the development process of ASCE 7-16, the SEAOC method has been incorporated - with modification - into this referenced standard.