a three-second speed

English translation: average wind speed measured over an interval of three seconds

GLOSSARY ENTRY (DERIVED FROM QUESTION BELOW)
English term or phrase:a three-second speed
Selected answer:average wind speed measured over an interval of three seconds
Entered by: Phong Le

13:33 May 1, 2014
English language (monolingual) [PRO]
Science - Engineering (general)
English term or phrase: a three-second speed
According to the latest data collected by FM Global Research, this facility is situated at the outskirts of Bangkok, and is exposed to a three-second gust wind speed of up to 52 m/sec (115 mph).

a three-second ..... up to 52 m/sec (115 mph) = from 3s to 52 m/sec?
Phong Le
Vietnam
Local time: 23:59
average wind speed measured over an interval of three seconds
Explanation:
This is one of the standard ways of indicating the wind speed in a given location.

"Basic Wind Speed (V)—The 3-s gust wind speed at 10 m (33 ft) above the ground associated wtih a 50-yr mean recurrence interval [...]
Three-Second Gust Wind Speed—The average wind speed measured over an interval of 3 s."
Guide Design Specification for Bridge Temporary Works
http://books.google.es/books?id=acFaw4R2jdkC&pg=SA3-PA1&lpg=...

"How to Convert a Three-Second Gust to Basic Wind Speed.
Wind is measured in both sustained wind speeds, and 3-second gusts. When you see a weather report that gives "Winds out of the southwest at 25 mph with gusts of up to 40 mph", the 25 mph is the sustained wind speed, and the 40 mph velocity is a measured 3-second gust."
http://www.ehow.com/how_7407867_convert-gust-basic-wind-spee...

So the wind speed averaged over a period of three seconds is taken as the standard definition of the gust speed, and "a three-second gust wind speed of up to 52 m/sec (115 mph)" means that 52 m/sec or 115 mph is the highest average speed measured over a three-second interval.

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Note added at 1 hr (2014-05-01 15:01:13 GMT)
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The point is that wind speed is constantly fluctuating, and any speed will be the average speed over certain period of time. For gust speed, three seconds is that interval. But if the gust speed is up to a certain figure, that doesn't mean that the figure is the maximum speed reached for a given period, but the average speed over that period.

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 1 hr (2014-05-01 15:19:01 GMT)
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Sustained wind speed is average speed over an inverval of one minute, and peak gust speed (normally higher than sustained speed by a factor of about 1.22) is the highest average speed over a consecutive period of three seconds within that minute. These figures are used to classify hurricanes, for example.
Selected response from:

Charles Davis
Spain
Local time: 17:59
Grading comment
thank you
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



SUMMARY OF ALL EXPLANATIONS PROVIDED
4 +5average wind speed measured over an interval of three seconds
Charles Davis
3 +1a gust of wind which lasts for 3 seconds and attains a speed of 52 m/s
Piyush Ojha


  

Answers


14 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5 peer agreement (net): +1
a gust of wind which lasts for 3 seconds and attains a speed of 52 m/s


Explanation:
This is how I read this sentence.

Piyush Ojha
United Kingdom
Local time: 16:59
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish, Native in HindiHindi
PRO pts in category: 4

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  acetran
47 mins
Login to enter a peer comment (or grade)

1 hr   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +5
average wind speed measured over an interval of three seconds


Explanation:
This is one of the standard ways of indicating the wind speed in a given location.

"Basic Wind Speed (V)—The 3-s gust wind speed at 10 m (33 ft) above the ground associated wtih a 50-yr mean recurrence interval [...]
Three-Second Gust Wind Speed—The average wind speed measured over an interval of 3 s."
Guide Design Specification for Bridge Temporary Works
http://books.google.es/books?id=acFaw4R2jdkC&pg=SA3-PA1&lpg=...

"How to Convert a Three-Second Gust to Basic Wind Speed.
Wind is measured in both sustained wind speeds, and 3-second gusts. When you see a weather report that gives "Winds out of the southwest at 25 mph with gusts of up to 40 mph", the 25 mph is the sustained wind speed, and the 40 mph velocity is a measured 3-second gust."
http://www.ehow.com/how_7407867_convert-gust-basic-wind-spee...

So the wind speed averaged over a period of three seconds is taken as the standard definition of the gust speed, and "a three-second gust wind speed of up to 52 m/sec (115 mph)" means that 52 m/sec or 115 mph is the highest average speed measured over a three-second interval.

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 1 hr (2014-05-01 15:01:13 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

The point is that wind speed is constantly fluctuating, and any speed will be the average speed over certain period of time. For gust speed, three seconds is that interval. But if the gust speed is up to a certain figure, that doesn't mean that the figure is the maximum speed reached for a given period, but the average speed over that period.

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 1 hr (2014-05-01 15:19:01 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

Sustained wind speed is average speed over an inverval of one minute, and peak gust speed (normally higher than sustained speed by a factor of about 1.22) is the highest average speed over a consecutive period of three seconds within that minute. These figures are used to classify hurricanes, for example.

Charles Davis
Spain
Local time: 17:59
Native speaker of: English
PRO pts in category: 80
Grading comment
thank you

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Piyush Ojha: Agreed. I shouldn't have been so hasty with my suggestion.
11 mins
  -> Many thanks, Piyush!

agree  B D Finch
1 hr
  -> Thank you!

agree  Polangmar
5 hrs
  -> Thanks, Polangmar!

agree  ulzii: Agree
2 days 23 hrs
  -> Thanks again, Ulziisaikhan :)

agree  Naweed Miakhel
3 days 2 hrs
  -> Thank you, Naweed!
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