GuidelineRecommended
Wind load design uses ASCE 7 basic wind speed for the locality
HUD RSDG §3.6Description
Basic wind speed (3-second gust at 33 ft above grade in Exposure C, mean recurrence interval 700 years for Risk Category II residential) is taken from the ASCE 7 wind-speed map for the project locality. Virginia eastern shore: 130-150 mph. Inland Virginia: 90-115 mph.
Why this exists
Wind loads scale with the square of wind speed. Designers MUST use the locality-specific design wind speed; assuming a national-average value under-designs coastal homes and over-designs inland homes.
Categories
Structure
Source
HUD (US Department of Housing and Urban Development)no manifest entry
Residential Structural Design Guide, Second Edition (2nd ed)
Section: Chapter 3, §3.6
Published 2000-01-01 · last verified 2026-05-10
Solver enforcement
Browsable only — the solver does not currently enforce this directive (no spec-level data to check against). This entry exists so the architect personas can cite it in conversation and the user can read what the rule says.
Related directives
- Continuous load path from roof to foundation · HUD RSDG §2.4
- Residential structural reliability targets 1-in-100 to 1-in-1000 annual probability of failure · HUD RSDG §2.5
- Residential floor live load: 40 psf minimum (30 psf sleeping rooms) · HUD RSDG §3.4
- Ground snow load for Virginia: 25 psf eastern, up to 40 psf western mountains · HUD RSDG §3.7
- Footing depth must extend below frost line: 18-24 inches in Virginia · HUD RSDG §4.4
Last reviewed 2026-05-10.