• Wind and Structures
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• v.24 no.1
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• pp.25-41
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• 2017

The effects of finite cylinder free end shape on the mean and fluctuating wind pressures were investigated experimentally and numerically by using three different roof shapes: flat, conical and hemispherical. The pressure distributions on the roofs and the side walls of the finite cylinders partially immersed in a simulated atmospheric boundary layer have been obtained for three different roof shapes. Realizable $k-{\varepsilon}$ turbulence model was used for numerical simulations. Change in roof shapes has caused significant differences on the pressure distributions. When compared the pressure distributions on the different roofs, it is seen from the results that hemispherical roof has the most critical pressure field among the others. It is found a good agreement between numerical and experimental results.

• Journal of Korean Association for Spatial Structures
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• v.20 no.2
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• pp.69-76
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• 2020

Wind tunnel tests were conducted to analyze the wind fluctuating pressures on a circular closed and open dome roof with a low span rise. Two dome models with various geometric parameters (height/span ratios and open ratios) were used for fixed span rise ratio dome and wind pressure spectrum were analyzed. The applicability was examined in comparison with the spectral model proposed in the previous studies. The analysis results show that the wind pressure spectrum of open dome roof tends to increase power in the high frequency range and the second peak is found in the area different from the closed dome roof. In addition, according to the comparison analysis with the previous proposed spectral model, it was found that it is not applicable to the closed and open dome roofs with low rise ratio due to the different peak frequencies.

• Wind and Structures
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• v.16 no.1
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• pp.61-91
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• 2013

An analytical model of internal pressure response of a leaky and quasi-statically flexible building with a dominant opening is provided by including the effect of the envelope external pressure fluctuations on the roof, in addition to the fluctuating external pressure at the dominant opening. Wind tunnel experiments involving a flexible roof and different building porosities were carried out to validate the analytical predictions. While the effect of envelope flexibility is shown to lower the Helmholtz frequency of the building volume-opening combination, the lowering of the resonant peak in the internal and net roof pressure coefficient spectra is attributed to the increased damping in the system due to inherent background leakage and envelope flexibility. The extent of the damping effects of "skin" flexibility and background leakage in moderating the internal and net pressure response under high wind conditions is quantified using the linearized admittance functions developed. Analytical examples provided for different combinations of background leakage and envelope flexibility show that alleviation of internal and net pressure fluctuations due to these factors by as much as 40 and 15% respectively is possible compared to that for a nominally sealed rigid building of the same internal volume and opening size.

• Wind and Structures
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• v.7 no.5
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• pp.317-332
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• 2004

Wind tunnel experiments were conducted under highly turbulent and disturbed flow conditions over a solid/perforated plate with a long splitter plate in its plane of symmetry. The effect of varied level of perforation of the normal plate on fluctuating velocities and fluctuating pressures measured across and along the separation bubble was studied. The different perforation levels of the normal plate; that is 0%, 10%, 20%, 30%, 40% and 50% are studied. The Reynolds number based on step height was varied from $4{\times}10^3$ to $1.2{\times}10^4$. The shape and size of the bubble vary with different perforation level of the normal plate that is to say the bubble is reduced both in height and length up to 30% perforation level. For higher perforation of the normal plate, bubble is completely swept out. The peak turbulence value occurs around 0.7 to 0.8 times the reattachment length. The turbulence intensity values are highest for the case of solid normal plate (bleed air is absent) and are lowest for the case of 50% perforation of the normal plate (bleed air is maximum in the present study). From the analysis of data it is observed that $\sqrt{\overline{u^{{\prime}2}}}/(\sqrt{\overline{u^{{\prime}2}}})_{max}$, (the ratio of RMS velocity fluctuation to maximum RMS velocity fluctuation), is uniquely related with dimensionless distance y/Y', (the ratio of distance normal to splitter plate to the distance where RMS velocity fluctuation is half its maximum value) for all the perforated normal plates. It is interesting to note that for 50% perforation of the normal plate, the RMS pressure fluctuation in the flow field gets reduced to around 60% as compared to that for solid normal plate. Analysis of the results show that the ratio [$C^{\prime}_p$ max/$-C_{pb}(1-{\eta})$], where $C^{\prime}_p$ max is the maximum coefficient of fluctuating pressure, $C_{pb}$ is the coefficient of base pressure and ${\eta}$ is the perforation level (ratio of open to total area), for surface RMS pressure fluctuation levels seems to be constant and has value of about 0.22. Similar analysis show that the ratio $[C^{\prime}_p$ max/$-C_{pb}(1-{\eta})]$ for flow field RMS pressure fluctuation levels seems to be constant and has a value of about 0.32.

• Wind and Structures
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• v.4 no.5
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• pp.413-440
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• 2001

This paper presents an extensive analysis of unsteady wind loading data on a 18 m long and 2 m high wall in a rural environment, with the wind at a range of angles to the wall normal. The data is firstly analyzed using standard statistical techniques (moments of probability distributions, auto- and cross-correlations, auto- and cross-spectra etc.). The analysis is taken further using a variety of less conventional methods - conditional sampling, proper orthogonal decomposition and wavelet analysis. It is shown that, even though the geometry is simple, the nature of the unsteady flow is surprisingly complex. The fluctuating pressures on the front face of the wall are to a great extent caused by the turbulent fluctuations in the upstream flow, and reflect the oncoming flow structures. The results further suggest that there are distinct structures in the oncoming flow with a variety of scales, and that the second order quasi-steady approach can predict the pressure fluctuations quite well. The fluctuating pressures on the rear face are also influenced by the fluctuations in the oncoming turbulence, but also by unsteady fluctuations due to wake unsteadiness. These fluctuations have a greater temporal and spatial coherence than on the front face and the quasi-steady method over-predicts the extent of these fluctuations. Finally the results are used to check some assumptions made in the current UK wind loading code of practice.

• Wind and Structures
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• v.25 no.3
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• pp.301-328
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• 2017

Multivariate fluctuating pressures acting on a 2:1 rectangular section (2-D) with dimensions of 9 cm by 4.5 cm has been studied using wind tunnel experiments under uniform and smooth flow condition for various angles of wind incidence. Based on the variation of mean pressure coefficient distributions along the circumference of the rectangular section with angle of wind incidence, and with the aid of skin friction coefficients, three distinct flow regimes with two transition regimes have been identified. Further, variations of mean drag and lift coefficients, Strouhal number with angles of wind incidence have been studied. The applicability of Universal Strouhal number based on vortex street similarity of wakes in bluff bodies to the 2:1 rectangular section has been studied for different angles of wind incidence. The spatio-temporal correlation features of the measured pressure data have been studied using Proper Orthogonal Decomposition (POD) technique. The contribution of individual POD modes to the aerodynamic force components, viz, drag and lift, have been studied. It has been demonstrated that individual POD modes can be associated to different physical phenomena, which contribute to the overall aerodynamic forces.

• Wind and Structures
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• v.27 no.2
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• pp.111-121
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• 2018

Experiments were conducted in a large-scale Ward-type tornado simulator to study tornado-like vortices. Both flow velocities and the pressures at the surface beneath the vortices were measured. An interpretation of these measurements enabled an assessment of the mean flow field as well as the mean and fluctuating characteristics of the surface pressure deficit, which is a manifestation of the flow fluctuation aloft. An emphasis was placed on the effect of the aspect ratio of the tornado simulator on the characteristics of the simulated flow and the corresponding surface pressure deficit, especially the evolution of these characteristics due to the transition of the flow from a single-celled vortex to a two-celled vortex with increasing swirl ratio.

• Wind and Structures
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• v.17 no.5
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• pp.465-477
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• 2013

In this paper, the effects of parapets on the mean and fluctuating wind pressures which are acting on a flat top of a finite cylinder vertically placed on a flat plate have experimentally been investigated. The aspect ratio (AR) of cylinder is 1 and the Reynolds number (Re) based on cylinder diameter and free stream velocity is 150000. The pressure distributions on the flat top and the side wall of the finite cylinder immersed in a simulated atmospheric boundary layer have been obtained for different parapet heights. The large magnitudes of mean and minimum suction pressures occurring near the leading edge were measured for the cases with and without parapet. They shift to the further downstream on the circular top with increasing parapet height. It is seen that the parapets reduce the local high suction on the top up to 24%.

• Wind and Structures
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• v.20 no.2
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• pp.327-347
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• 2015

This paper investigates the effects of Reynolds number (Re) on the aerodynamic characteristics of a twin-deck bridge. A 1:36 scale sectional model of a twin girder bridge was tested using the Wall of Wind (WOW) open jet wind tunnel facility at Florida International University (FIU). Static tests were performed on the model, instrumented with pressure taps and load cells, at high wind speeds with Re ranging from $1.3{\times}10^6$ to $6.1{\times}10^6$ based on the section width. Results show that the section was almost insensitive to Re when pitched to negative angles of attack. However, mean and fluctuating pressure distributions changed noticeably for zero and positive wind angles of attack while testing at different Re regimes. The pressure results suggested that with the Re increase, a larger separation bubble formed on the bottom surface of the upstream girder accompanied with a narrower wake region. As a result, drag coefficient decreased mildly and negative lift coefficient increased. Flow modification due to the Re increase also helped in distributing forces more equally between the two girders. The bare deck section was found to be prone to vortex shedding with limited dependence on the Re. Based on the observations, vortex mitigation devices attached to the bottom surface were effective in inhibiting vortex shedding, particularly at lower Re regime.

• Wind and Structures
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• v.18 no.1
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• pp.57-67
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• 2014

For a building with a dominant windward wall opening, the wind-induced internal pressure response can be described by a second-order non-linear differential equation. However, there are two ill-defined parameters in the governing equation: the inertial coefficient $C_I$ and the loss coefficient $C_L$. Lack of knowledge of these two parameters restricts the practical use of the governing equation. This study was primarily focused on finding an accurate reference value for $C_I$, and the paper presents a systematic investigation of the factors influencing the inertial coefficient for a wind-tunnel model building including: opening configuration and location, wind speed and direction, approaching flow turbulence, the model material, and the installation method. A numerical model was used to simulate the volume deformation under internal pressure, and to predict the bulk modulus of an experimental model. In considering the structural flexibility, an alternative approach was proposed to ensure accurate internal volume distortions, so that similarity of internal pressure responses between model-scale and full-scale building was maintained. The research showed 0.8 to be a reasonable standard value for the inertial coefficient.