A building is considered “enclosed” if it does not comply with the requirements for open or partially enclosed buildings (ASCE 7-16, Section 26.2, “BUILDING, ENCLOSED”).
From the ASCE 7-16 Commentary C26.2 Definitions:
BUILDING, ENCLOSED; BUILDING, OPEN; BUILDING, PARTIALLY ENCLOSED; BUILDING, PARTIALLY OPEN:
These definitions relate to the proper selection of internal pressure coefficients, (GCpi). “Enclosed,” “open,” and “partially enclosed” buildings are specifically defined. All other buildings are considered to be “partially open” by definition, although there may be large openings in two or more walls. An example of this would be a parking garage through which the wind can easily pass but which does not meet the definition for either an open or a partially enclosed building. The internal pressure coefficient for such a building would be ±0.18, and the internal pressures would act on the solid areas of the walls and roof. The standard also specifies that a building that meets both the “open” and “partially enclosed” definitions should be considered “open.”
See also “Partially Enclosed Building” and “Open Building”
Last Update: March 31, 2021
