• Wind and Structures
• /
• 제13권5호
• /
• pp.413-431
• /
• 2010

The focus of this article is on the assessment of vertical wind vector components and their aerodynamic impact on lattice framework, specifically two distinct sections of a guyed transmission tower. Thunderstorm winds, notably very localized events such as convective downdrafts (including downbursts) and tornadoes, result in a different load on a tower's structural system in terms of magnitude and spatial distribution when compared to horizontal synoptic winds. Findings of previous model-scale experiments are outlined and their results considered for the development of a testing rig that allows for rotation about multiple body axes through a series of wind tunnel tests. Experimental results for the wind loads on two unique experimental models are presented and the difference in behaviour discussed. For a model cross arm with a solidity ratio of approximately 30%, the drag load was increased by 14% when at a pitch angle of $20^{\circ}$. Although the effects of rotation about the vertical body axis, or the traditional 'angle of attack', are recognized by design codes as being significant, provisions for vertical winds are absent from each set of wind loading specifications examined. The inclusion of a factor to relate winds with a vertical component to the horizontal speed is evaluated as a vertical wind factor applicable to load calculations. Member complexity and asymmetric geometry often complicate the use of lattice wind loading provisions, which is a challenge that extends to future studies and codification. Nevertheless, the present work is intended to establish a basis for such studies.

• Wind and Structures
• /
• 제27권2호
• /
• pp.101-109
• /
• 2018

Wall jet flow exists widely in engineering applications, including the simulation of thunderstorm downburst outflows, and has been investigated extensively by both experimental and numerical methods. Most previous studies focused on the scaling laws and self-similarity, while the effect of lip thickness and external stream height on mean velocity has not been examined in detail. The present work is a numerical study, using steady Reynolds-Averaged Navier Stokes (RANS) simulations at a Reynolds number of $3.5{\times}10^4$, of a turbulent plane wall jet with an external stream to investigate the influence of the wall jet domain on downstream development of the flow. The comparisons of flow characteristics simulated by the Reynolds stress turbulence model closure (Stress-omega, SWRSM) and experimental results indicate that this model may be considered reasonable for simulating the wall jet. The confined wall jet is further analyzed in a parametric study, with the results compared to the experimental data. The results indicate that the height and the width of the wind tunnel and the lip thickness of the jet nozzle have a great effect on the wall jet development. The top plate of the tunnel does not confine the development of the wall jet within 200b of the nozzle when the height of the tunnel is more than 40b (b is the height of jet nozzle). The features of the centerline flow in the mid plane of the 3D numerical model are close to those of the 2D simulated plane wall jet when the width of the tunnel is more than 20b.