NEPAL NATIONAL BUILDING CODE
NBC 104 : 1994

WIND LOAD

Government of Nepal

Ministry of Physical Planning and Works
Department of Urban Development and Building Construction
Babar Mahal, Kathmandu, NEPAL

Reprinted : 2064

NBC103V1.RV420 May 1994

NEPAL NATIONAL BUILDING CODE
NBC 104 : 1994

WIND LOAD

This publication represents a standard of good practice andtherefore takes the form of recommendations. Compliance with it
does not confer immunity from relevant legal requirements,
including bylaws
tTsflng >L % sf] ;/sf/ -dlGqkl/ifb\_ sf] ldlt @)^).$.!@ sf] lg0f{ofg';f/ :jLs[tGovernment of Nepal

Ministry of Physical Planning and Works
Department of Urban Development and Building Construction
Babar Mahal, Kathmandu, NEPAL

Reprinted : 2064

NBC103V1.RV420 May 1994

iPrefaceThis Nepal Standard was prepared during 1993 as part of a project to prepare a National Building Codefor Nepal.
In 1988 the Ministry of Housing and Physical Planning (MHPP), conscious of the growing needs ofNepal's urban and shelter sectors, requested technical assistance from the United Nations Development
Programme and their executing agency, United Nations Centre for Human Settlements (UNCHS).
A programme of Policy and Technical Support was set up within the Ministry (UNDP ProjectNEP/88/054) and a number of activities have been undertaken within this framework.
The 1988 earthquake in Nepal, and the resulting deaths and damage to both housing and schools, again
drew attention to the need for changes and improvement in current building construction and design
methods.
Until now, Nepal has not had any regulations or documents of its own setting out either requirements orgood practice for achieving satisfactory strength in buildings.
In late 1991 the MHPP and UNCHS requested proposals for the development of such regulations anddocuments from international organisations in response to terms of reference prepared by a panel ofexperts.
This document has been prepared by the subcontractor's team working within the Department ofBuilding, the team including members of the Department and the MHPP. As part of the proposedmanagement and implementation strategy, it has been prepared so as to conform with the general
presentation requirements of the Nepal Bureau of Standards and Metrology.
The subproject has been undertaken under the aegis of an Advisory Panel to the MHPP.
The Advisory Panel consisted of :Mr. UB Malla, Joint Secretary, MHPP
Director General, Department of Building(Mr. LR Upadhyay)
Mr. AR Pant, Under Secretary, MHPP
Director General, Department of Mines & Geology(Mr. PL Shrestha)
Director General, Nepal Bureau of Standards & Metrology(Mr. PB Manandhar)
Dean, Institute of Engineering, Tribhuvan University(Dr. SB Mathe)
Project Chief, Earthquake Areas Rehabilitation &Reconstruction Project
President, Nepal Engineers Association
Law Officer, MHPP (Mr. RB Dange)
Representative, Society of Consulting Architectural &Engineering Firms (SCAEF)
Representative, Society of Nepalese Architects (SONA)
NBC103V1.RV4ChairmanMemberMemberMemberMemberMemberMemberMemberMemberMemberMember
20 May 1994

iiDeputy Director General, Department of Building,(Mr. JP Pradhan)

Member-Secretary

The Subcontractor was BECA WORLEY INTERNATIONAL CONSULTANTS LTD. of New
Zealand in conjunction with subconsultants who included :Golder Associates Ltd., Canada
SILT Consultants P. Ltd., Nepal
TAEC Consult (P.) Ltd., Nepal
Urban Regional Research, USA

Principal inputs to this standard came from:Mr. YK Parajuli, TAEC
Mr. AS Arya, University of Roorkee, Roorkee, India
The Deputy Director- General, Metrological Department (IMD), India
Mr. S. Shrestha, TAEC
Mr. JK Bothara, TAEC
Dr. RD Sharpe, BECA (Team Leader)
Revisions and Updated to this code came from:
Mr. Purna P.Kadariya, DG, DUDBC
Mr. Kishore Thapa, DDG, DUDBC
Mr. Mani Ratna Tuladhar, Sr. Div. Engineer, DUDBC
Mr. Jyoti Prasad Pradhan, Ex. DG, DOB
Mr. Bhubaneswor Lal Shrestha, Ex. DDG, DOB
Mr. Uttam Shrestha, Architect, Architects' Module Pvt.Ltd.
Mr. Manohar Lal Rajbhandhari, Sr. Structural Engineer, MR Associates
Mr. Amrit Man Tuladhar, Civil Engineer, DUDBC

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TABLE OF CONTENTS
Preface .................................................................................................................................i
0Foreword.................................................................................................................iv

1Scope ........................................................................................................................1
NEPAL AMENDMENTS TO IS : 875 (Part 3) - 1987.........................10Foreword ............................................................................................11..............................................................................................14..............................................................................................35..............................................................................................36..............................................................................................48..............................................................................................4

APPENDIX D.................................................................................4

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0 Foreword
This Nepal Standard on "Wind Load" comprises the India Standard IS:875 (Part 3) 1987: CODEOF PRACTICE FOR DESIGN LOADS (OTHER THAN EARTHQUAKE) FOR
BUILDINGS AND STRUCTURES (Second Revision) with amendments as set out herein.
These amendments have been necessary to ensure the requirements of Nepalese context.
Particularly the wind zoning map of Nepal.

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1. SCOPE
NEPAL AMENDMENTS TO BE: 875 (Part 3)-1987
0Foreword

Delete 0.1 to 0.3 and replace with:Wind speed is monitored at only a few stations in Nepal. The average monthly windspeed data recorded at a particular time of the day is available from 40 stations
distributed in various parts of the country. Of these, the station at Tribhuvan
International Airport 1030) records the average daily wind speed, maximum hourly
gust and maximum gust. The data from this station, however, is not continuous and thisinformation is available only for the period 1971 to 1975 and 1985 to 1986. For the1985-1986 periods, only the average monthly wind speed is available. This is publishedin book-form. The general data is available in a booklet published by the Department ofHydrology and Meteorology.
The Snow and Glacier Hydrology Project and the Kagbeni Wind Power Project are two
projects which, at present, are measuring wind speed in some parts of the country. Theformer has established three anemometer stations in Upper Langtang Valley, Khumbu(Everest region) and Modi Khola Valley (Annapurna region) where the hourly windspeed and direction have been measured since 1987. The project has further plans toestablish more stations in higher regions in the future. The latter was Nepal's first wind
power generation project. Maximum, minimum and average daily wind records since
1989 for Kagbeni in Mustang district of West Nepal are available. It is proposed toestablish eight more stations in various parts of the country.
The available data base is inadequate both in terms of spatial distribution and duration.
Modern wind design codes are based on the peak gust velocity averaged over a shortinterval of about 3 seconds that has a 50 year return period. The available Nepalesewind data base is insufficient and irrelevant to prepare wind zone map.
The Indian Standard IS : 875 (part 3) –1987 Code of practice for Design Wind Loadhas presented a wind zoning of India based on an average peak gust velocity of 3
seconds with a 50 year return period. According to this map, the plains have a basic
wind velocity of 47 meters per second and the hilly northern areas in Uttar Pradesh andHimanchal pradesh have a basic wind velocity of 39 meters per second-with amarginal adjustment for Dehra Dun for which the basic wind velocity is 47 meters persecond. The basic wind speed for the Laddakh region, which has high hills and valleys
all through it, is 55 meters per second.
In Nepal, the wind velocities in the lower valleys are smaller in magnitude than those in
the higher valleys and mountain ranges. This is evident from the speeds observed in
Kathmandu Valley and in Kali Gandaki Valley. It appears reasonable to classify
broadly the country into different wind zones for the purpose of setting the basic windspeeds. For this purpose, the Indian map has been used as a guide.

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2The country has been divided into two regions : a) the lower plains and hills and, b) themountains. The first zone generally includes the southern plains of the Terai, theKathmandu Valley and those regions of the country generally below an elevation of3000 meters. The second zone covers all sreas above 3000 meters. For the Nepaleseplains continuous with the Indian plans, a basic velocity of 47 m/s has been adopted. In
the higher hills, a basic wind velocity of 55 meters per second has been selected. The
wind zoning map of Nepal prepared on this basis is presented in Figure 1.1. While
preparing the map, the physical boundaries of the Districts have also been kept in mind.
Available wind data collected during the preparation of this standard is presented
separately in Appendices NBC 104: 1 to 5.
Note:
A.

Discussions with the Deputy Director General of India's metrological Department(IMD) by Dr AS Arya on the use of the available wind data for Nepal concluded
that the various parameters which control the peak gust velocities are extremelyvariable in the hilly/mountainous regions of the Himalayas. In addition, anyextrapolation from average daily wind velocities and hourly mean velocities topeak gust velocities will be meaningless and, therefore, should not be attempted.

B.

The design wind velocity for a structure depends on the following main
parameters:•••

Probability factor,Terrain, height and structure size factor, andTopography factor

These factors are fully described in IS:875 (Part 3)- 1987 and are easily
discernable for areas in Nepal. Therefore, it will be reasonable to use the IndianStandard for the computation of wind forces on structures in Nepal, taking thewind velocities as suggested here above.

1.1.3

C.

All organizations planning to build important light roof type structures or tallstructures are advised to collect data on wind direction and speed with the help ofappropriate instruments.

D.

Data and information collected during the course of preparing this Standard
appear in a separate Appendix, NBC: 104-2250

4th line, add "Indian" before codes.
5th line, replace "code" with "Standard"

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4.2. Delete this clause inclusively.
4.8 Add new clause:
4.8.1 In this Standard the word " shall" indicates a requirement that must be adopted inorder to comply with the Standard, while the word "Should" indicates recommended
practice.
5.
5.2. 2nd line, replace " India" with " Nepal".
Delete the last sentence.
5.3. Last sentence on note, replace " speed" with " speed".
5.3.1. Delete the first sentence and substitute with:
Figure 1 gives the approximate basis wind speed for Nepalese topography based on theIndian territory. It is believed to be applicable for Category 2 at 10 m above the groundlevel, based on a 50 years mean return period.
5.3.2.1 (a) Delete the portion of note " Open sea coast land"
5.3.2.1 (b) Delete the last sentence of note.
Figure 1 Replace " the Map of India" with " the Map of Nepal".
Table 1 Delete k1 factor, and A and B coefficients for basic wind speeds of 33, 39, 44 and 50m/s.
5.3.2.1 (c) Note- 3, delete the sentences.
5.3.3. Delete the first two sentences and replace with:
The basic wind speed given in Figure 1 is generally estimated from the height of theplaces above the mean sea level. Special attention has been given to the Kali Gandaki
River valley where the average wind velocity is extremely high. The boundaries ofDistricts have also been taken into consideration when demarcating the wind zones.
5.5. Delete this clause inclusively.

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6.2.2.9. Last sentences, replace " windword" with "windward".
8.
8.2. 5th line, insert "factor" before "at".
Note- 3rd line, replace "India" with "Nepal" andNote- 4th line, delete, "cyclone and".
APPENDIX D
4th paragraph, delete "likely to be found in India"

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