• Wind and Structures
• /
• v.20 no.4
• /
• pp.579-607
• /
• 2015

A Combination Random Flow Generation (CRFG) technique for obtaining the fluctuating inflow boundary conditions for Large Eddy Simulation (LES) is proposed. The CRFG technique was developed by combining the typical RFG technique with a novel calculation of k and ${\varepsilon}$ to estimate the length- and time-scales (l, ${\tau}$) of the target fluctuating turbulence field used as the inflow boundary conditions. Through comparatively analyzing the CRFG technique and other existing numerical/experimental results, the CRFG technique was verified for the generation of turbulent wind velocity fields with prescribed turbulent statistics. Using the turbulent velocity fluctuations generated by the CRFG technique, a series of LESs were conducted to investigate the wind flow around S-, R-, L- and U-shaped building models. As the pressures of the models were also measured in wind tunnel tests, the validity of the LES, and the effectiveness of the inflow boundary generated by the CRFG techniques were evaluated through comparing the simulation results to the wind tunnel measurements. The comparison showed that the LES accurately and reliably simulates the wind-induced pressure distributions on the building surfaces, which indirectly validates the CRFG technique in generating realistic fluctuating wind velocities for use in the LES. In addition to the pressure distribution, the LES results were investigated in terms of wind velocity profiles around the building models to reveal the wind flow dynamics around bluff bodies. The LES results quantitatively showed the decay of the bluff body influence when the flow moves away from the building model.

• Wind and Structures
• /
• v.22 no.4
• /
• pp.503-524
• /
• 2016

The suitability of Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) simulations on the built environment for the purpose of estimating average roughness characteristics and for studying wind flow patterns within the environment is assessed. Urban models of various levels of complexity are considered including an empty domain, array of obstacles arranged in regular and staggered manners, in-homogeneous roughness with multiple patches, a semi-idealized built environment, and finally a real built environment. For each of the test cases, we conducted CFD simulations using RANS turbulence closure and validated the results against appropriate methods: existing empirical formulas for the homogeneous roughness case, empirical wind speed models for the in-homogeneous roughness case, and wind tunnel tests for the semi-idealized built environment case. In general, results obtained from the CFD simulations show good agreement with the corresponding validation methods, thereby, giving further evidence to the suitability of CFD simulations for built environment studies consisting of wide-ranging roughness. This work also provides a comprehensive overview of roughness modeling in CFD-from the simplest approach of modeling roughness implicitly through wall functions to the most elaborate approach of modeling roughness explicitly for the sake of accurate wind flow simulations within the built environment.

• Wind and Structures
• /
• v.3 no.4
• /
• pp.255-266
• /
• 2000

Wind-induced interference effects on a building are the result of one or more adjacent buildings modifying the flow of wind around it, which may result in a significant increase or decrease in wind loads on the building. Wind loading standards and codes of practice offer little guidance to the designer for assessing the effects of interference. Experimental results on interference effects indicate that code recommendations may be significantly low (unsafe) or uneconomically conservative. The paper presents results of an extensive experimental program to study the wind flow mechanisms and to quantify the extent of wind load modifications on buildings due to interference effects. These results have been simplified and presented from the point-of-view of design and codification for the case of two buildings. Based on these results, general guidelines and limiting conditions defining wind interference are formulated and discussed.

• Wind and Structures
• /
• v.37 no.2
• /
• pp.163-178
• /
• 2023

The paper reviews and discusses the substantive changes to the ASCE 49-21 Standard, Wind Tunnel Testing for Buildings and Other Structures. The most significant changes are the requirements for wind field simulations that utilize (i) partial turbulence simulations, (ii) partial model simulations for the flow around building Appurtenances, along with requirements for determining wind loads on products that are used at multiple sites in various configurations. These modifications tend to have the effect of easing the precise scaling requirements for flow simulations because it is not generally possible to construct accurate models for small elements placed, for example, on large buildings at the scales typically available in boundary layer wind tunnels. Additional discussion is provided on changes to the Standard with respect to measurement accuracy and data acquisition parameters, such as duration of tests, which are also related to scaling requirements. Finally, research needs with respect to aerodynamic mechanisms are proposed, with the goal of improving the understanding of the role of turbulence on separated-reattaching flows on building surfaces in order to continue to improve the wind tunnel method for determining design wind loads.

• Wind and Structures
• /
• v.18 no.1
• /
• pp.69-82
• /
• 2014

Flow around a small white fir tree was investigated with varying the length of the bottom trunk (hereafter referred to as bottom gap). The velocity fields around the tree, which was placed in a closed-type wind tunnel test section, were quantitatively measured using particle image velocimetry (PIV) technique. Three different flow regions are observed behind the tree due to the bottom gap effect. Each flow region exhibits a different flow structure as a function of the bottom gap ratio. Depending on the gap ratio, the aerodynamic porosity of the tree changes and the different turbulence structure is induced. As the gap ratio increases, the maximum turbulence intensity is increased as well. However, the location of the local maximum turbulence intensity is nearly invariant. These changes in the flow and turbulence structures around a tree due to the bottom gap variation significantly affect the shelter effect of the tree. The wind-speed reduction is increased and the height of the maximum wind-speed reduction is decreased, as the gap ratio decreases.

• Wind and Structures
• /
• v.20 no.1
• /
• pp.37-58
• /
• 2015

As wind flows around a sharp-edged body, the resulting separated flow becomes complicated, with multiple separations and reattachments as well as vortex recirculation. This widespread and unpredictable phenomenon has long been studied academically as well as in engineering applications. In this study, the flow characteristics around rectangular prisms with five different aspect ratios were determined through wind tunnel experiments and a detached eddy simulation, that placed the objects in a simulated deep turbulent boundary layer at $Re=4.6{\times}10^4$. A series of rectangular prisms with the same height (h = 80 mm), different longitudinal lengths (l = 0.5h, h, and 2h), or different transverse widths (w = 0.5h, h, and 2h) were employed to observe the effects of the aspect ratio. Furthermore, five wind directions ($0^{\circ}$, $10^{\circ}$, $20^{\circ}$, $30^{\circ}$, and $45^{\circ}$) were selected to observe the effects of the wind direction. The simulated results of the surface pressure were compared to the wind tunnel experiment results and the existing results of previous papers. The vortex and spectrum were also analyzed to determine the detailed flow structure around the body. The paper also highlights the pressure distribution around the rectangular prisms with respect to the different aspect ratios. With an increasing transverse width, the surface suction pressure on the top and side surfaces becomes stronger. In addition, depending on the wind direction, the pressure coefficient experiences a large variation and can even change from a negative to a positive value on the side surface of the cube model.

• Wind and Structures
• /
• v.5 no.6
• /
• pp.515-526
• /
• 2002

The wind flow over two-dimensional sinusoidal hilly obstacles with slope (the ratio of height to half width) of 0.5 has been investigated experimentally and numerically. Experiments for single and double sinusoidal hill models were carried out in a subsonic wind tunnel. The mean velocity profiles, turbulence statistics, and surface pressure distributions were measured at the Reynolds number based on the obstacle height(h=40 mm) of $2.6{\times}10^4$. The reattachment points behind the obstacles were determined using the oil-ink dot and tuft methods. The smoke-wire method was employed to visualize the flow structure qualitatively. The finite-volume-method and the SIMPLE-C algorithm with an orthogonal body-fitted grid were used for numerical simulation. Comparison of mean velocity profiles between the experiments and the numerical simulation shows a good agreement except for the separation region, however, the surface pressure data show almost similar distributions.

• Wind and Structures
• /
• v.38 no.4
• /
• pp.295-307
• /
• 2024

The funnel-shaped vortex structure of tornadoes results in a spatiotemporally varying wind velocity (speed and direction) field. However, very limited full-scale tornado data along the height and radius positions are available to identify and reliably establish a description of complex vortex structure together with the resulting aerodynamic effects on the high-speed train (HST). In this study, the improved delayed detached eddy simulation (IDDES) for flow structures and aerodynamic pressures around an HST under tornado-like winds are conducted to provide high-fidelity computational fluid dynamics (CFD) results. To demonstrate the accuracy of the numerical method adopted in this study, both field observations and wind-tunnel data are utilized to respectively validate the simulated tornado flow fields and HST aerodynamics. Then, the flow structures and aerodynamic pressures (as well as aerodynamic forces and moments) around the HST at various locations within the tornado-like vortex are comprehensively compared to highlight the importance of considering the complex spatiotemporal wind features in the HST-tornado interactions.

• Wind and Structures
• /
• v.12 no.4
• /
• pp.349-381
• /
• 2009

Since 1998, several institutions have deployed mobile instrumented towers to collect research-grade meteorological data from landfalling tropical cyclones. This study examines the wind flow characteristics from seven landfalling tropical cyclones using data collected from eight individual mobile tower deployments which occurred from 1998-2005. Gust factor, turbulence intensity, and integral scale statistics are inspected relative to changing surface roughness, mean wind speed and storm-relative position. Radar data, acquired from the National Weather Service (NWS) Weather Surveillance Radar - 1988 Doppler (WSR-88D) network, are examined to explore potential relationships with respect to radar reflectivity and precipitation structure (convective versus stratiform). The results indicate tropical cyclone wind flow characteristics are strongly influenced by the surrounding surface roughness (i.e., exposure) at each observation site, but some secondary storm dependencies are also documented.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society for Noise and Vibration Engineering Conference
• /
• 2012.10a
• /
• pp.725-730
• /
• 2012

In this paper, flow noise characteristics of Savonius-type vertical-axis wind turbines are numerically investigated using hybrid CAA techniques. High frequency harmonics as well as BPF components are identified in the predicted noise spectra from a Savonius wind turbine. As the BPF components belong to infrasound, the higher harmonic components affects human response dominantly. Further analysis is performed to investigate the reason causing the higher frequency harmonic noise by changing operational conditions of a Savonius wind turbine. Based on this result, it is revealed that the frequency of higher harmonic components is determined by the radius of blades and angular velocity of Savonius wind turbine.