Wind testing facilities in the United States are generally limited to small scale and component testing. A very small number of the existing full-scale facilities carry out only partial destructive tests. To improve the understanding of the action of extreme wind on structural systems large scale facilities are needed which can model real structures at or near full-scale to the point of total destruction. Currently, different concepts for such a facility are being investigated. A workshop will take place on May 1st. and 2nd., 1997 in Arlington, Virginia, to critically examine the merits and shortcomings of these various concepts. The American Association for Wind Engineering (AAWE)) will organize this workshop with the purpose of evaluating and recommending the concepts that meet the needs of the wind engineering research community. A report on the discussions and findings will be published and disseminated nationally and internationally.
