Is there a formula to convert wind speed to lateral load, so a contractor can refer to the curtain wall tables in the SSMA catalog to decide which stud will work for their particular application?
Unfortunately, there is not a formula to convert wind speed to wind pressure. This conversion is covered by the building codes; the codes in all jurisdictions are not always the same. Over the years, the wind speed and pressure used to design a particular size and type of structure will change as the code requirements change. A building located in a 90 mile per hour wind zone in North Carolina may not have the same wind pressure as a building located in a 90 mile per hour wind zone in Texas, because the building code and version of the code adopted may be different.
