Wind Loading Analysis for a Public Art Monument in Waukee, Iowa

The Project Goal

The project team needed engineering review for a public art monument installation in Waukee, Iowa. The source materials described six fabricated stainless steel column assemblies made from quarter-inch stainless steel panels with decorative cut patterns. The columns were arranged as tall, square assemblies with multiple heights, so the engineering question was not limited to appearance or fabrication. The project needed a structural review of how the columns would resist wind loading and transfer those forces into the concrete footing system.

Because the monument columns were relatively slender and supported at their bases, the review focused on global stability. StructSolve’s role was to evaluate the proposed arrangement using the information provided by the manufacturer and project team, then document whether the foundation and anchorage assumptions were appropriate for the wind loading considered.

Why Engineering Was Needed

Decorative metal columns can act like cantilevered structures when wind pushes on their faces. For this project, wind forces needed to transfer from the stainless steel panels into bolts, welds, base framing, anchors, concrete footings, and the supporting soil. A clear load path mattered because the columns depended on both the fabricated base assembly and the foundation system for stability.

The source materials also included important scope limits. StructSolve’s review did not include finite element analysis, fabrication aesthetics, stress concentrations from decorative cutouts, or the manufacturer’s internal column connection detailing. Those elements were assumed to be addressed by the manufacturer. StructSolve’s review focused on the global wind stability of the proposed monument assemblies and their anchorage to the foundation.

StructSolve’s Design Scope

StructSolve performed a limited wind loading and global stability analysis using the manufacturer-provided column information. The analysis used ASCE 7-22 wind criteria reported for the project, including Risk Category I, Exposure Category C, and a 103 mph basic wind speed. For wind analysis, the column was treated as a solid surface, which provided a defined basis for evaluating the overall wind force on the taller column condition.

The review considered the base support and anchorage arrangement for the proposed stainless steel column assemblies. It also considered the foundation assumptions provided for the precast footing system, including concrete strength, footing size, reinforcement, and placement conditions. The goal was to document the structural considerations that affected wind load transfer, overturning resistance, sliding resistance, and installation coordination.

Key Structural Design Considerations

The load path began at the column panels, where wind pressure was applied to the monument faces. From there, the load was transferred through panel connections into perpendicular panels, through welds into the angle framing at the base, and then through anchors into the concrete footing. The footing and surrounding soil provided the final resistance to overturning and sliding.

The proposed anchorage used multiple cast-in anchors around the base of each column. The report identified the intended anchor type, embedment, and material grade, and noted that the anchoring system required coordination during footing fabrication. Because the footings were described as precast, anchor location and placement had to be coordinated before the concrete was cast.

The footing assumptions were also part of the engineering review. The source described a square precast concrete footing extending below frost depth, with reinforcement, normal-weight concrete, and a minimum concrete compressive strength assumption. StructSolve also recommended air-entrained concrete to support freeze-thaw durability and noted that the footing should be placed on level, undisturbed soil that had been properly compacted.

Engineering Calculations and Documentation

StructSolve’s documentation summarized the wind load assumptions, column load path, anchorage considerations, footing considerations, and calculation appendices. The supporting calculations included a cantilever-style wind load check and overturning and sliding calculations for the footing arrangement.

The analysis reported that the proposed anchors were sufficient for the imposed overturning moment and sliding shear based on the information reviewed. It also reported that the footing weight and lateral soil pressure provided adequate resistance to the wind overturning and sliding checks considered in the report. These conclusions were tied to the project assumptions and the information available at the time of preparation, rather than a review of every possible fabrication or installation condition.

Project Outcome

The deliverable gave the project team a documented engineering basis for coordinating the proposed monument columns, footing fabrication, and anchor placement. It clarified which parts of the monument system were reviewed for wind stability and which parts remained outside StructSolve’s limited scope.

The analysis helped the project team move forward with clearer information about wind loading, global stability, anchorage, and footing resistance. It also identified coordination items for the contractor and manufacturer, including final anchor placement, footing fabrication, field verification, and compliance with local requirements. Final construction completion, local approval, and manufacturer internal connection design were not documented as completed outcomes in the source material.