• Wind and Structures
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• v.28 no.5
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• pp.299-313
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• 2019

In order to examine the effects of different wind deflectors on the wind load distribution characteristics of extra-large cooling towers, a comparative study of the distribution characteristics of wind pressures on the surface of three large cooling towers with typical wind deflectors and one tower without wind deflector was conducted using wind tunnel tests. These characteristics include aerodynamic parameters such as mean wind pressures, fluctuating wind pressures, peak factors, correlation coefficients, extreme wind pressures, drag coefficients and vorticity distribution. Then distribution regularities of different wind deflectors on global and local wind pressure of extra-large cooling towers was extracted, and finally the fitting formula of extreme wind pressure of the cooling towers with different wind deflectors was provided. The results showed that the large eddy simulation (LES) method used in this article could be used to accurately simulate wind loads of such extra-large cooling towers. The three typical wind deflectors could effectively reduce the average wind pressure of the negative pressure extreme regions in the central part of the tower, and were also effective in reducing the root of the variance of the fluctuating wind pressure in the upper-middle part of the windward side of the tower, with the curved air deflector showing particularly. All the different wind deflectors effectively reduced the wind pressure extremes of the middle and lower regions of the windward side of the tower and of the negative pressure extremes region, with the best effect occurring in the curved wind deflector. After the wind deflectors were installed the drag coefficient values of each layer of the middle and lower parts of the tower were significantly higher than that without wind deflector, but the effect on the drag coefficients of layers above the throat was weak. The peak factors for the windward side, the side and leeward side of the extra-large cooling towers with different wind deflectors were set as 3.29, 3.41 and 3.50, respectively.

• Wind and Structures
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• v.31 no.3
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• pp.197-207
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• 2020

Knowledge on the design value of extreme wind pressure coefficients (EWPC) of a specific zone of buildings is essential for the wind-resistant capacity of claddings. This paper presents a method to estimate the representative EWPC introducing the multivariate extreme value model. The spatial correlations of the extreme wind pressures at different locations can be consider through the multivariate extreme value. The moving average method is also adopted in this method, so that the measured point pressure can be converted to wind pressure of an area. The proposed method is applied to wind tunnel test results of a large flat roof building. Comparison with existing methods shows that it can give a good estimation for all target zones with different sizes.

• Wind and Structures
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• v.34 no.5
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• pp.421-435
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• 2022

To investigate the non-Gaussian properties of fluctuating wind pressures and the error margin of extreme wind loads on a long-span curved roof with matching and mismatching ratios of turbulence integral scales to depth (L_u^x/D), a series of synchronized pressure tests on the rigid model of the complex curved roof were conducted. The regions of Gaussian distribution and non-Gaussian distribution were identified by two criteria, which were based on the cumulative probabilities of higher-order statistical moments (skewness and kurtosis coefficients, S_k and K_u) and spatial correlation of fluctuating wind pressures, respectively. Then the characteristics of fluctuating wind-loads in the non-Gaussian region were analyzed in detail in order to understand the effects of turbulence integral-scale. Results showed that the fluctuating pressures with obvious negative-skewness appear in the area near the leading edge, which is categorized as the non-Gaussian region by both two identification criteria. Comparing with those in the wind field with matching L_u^x/D, the range of non-Gaussian region almost unchanged with a smaller L_u^x/D, while the non-Gaussian features become more evident, leading to higher values of S_k, Ku and peak factor. On contrary, the values of fluctuating pressures become lower in the wind field with a smaller L_u^x/D, eventually resulting in underestimation of extreme wind loads. Hence, the matching relationship of turbulence integral scale to depth should be carefully considered as estimating the extreme wind loads of long-span roof by wind tunnel tests.

• Wind and Structures
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• v.8 no.5
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• pp.357-372
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• 2005

Mean and extreme pressure distributions on a large cantilevered flat roof model are measured in a boundary layer wind tunnel. The largest peak suction values are observed from pressure taps beneath conical "delta-wing type" corner vortices that occur for oblique winds, then the characteristics and causes of the local peak suctions are discussed in detail. Power spectra of fluctuating wind pressures measured from some typical taps located at the roof edges under different wind directions are presented, and coherence functions of fluctuating pressures are also obtained. Based on these results, it is verified that the peak suctions are highly correlated with the conical vortices. Furthermore, according to the characteristics of wind loads on the roof, an aerodynamic solution to minimize the peak suctions by venting the leading edges and the corners of the roof is recommended. The experimental results show that the suggested strategy can effectively control the generation of the conical vortices and make a reduction of 50% in mean pressures and 25% in extreme local pressures at wind sensitive locations on the roof.

• Wind and Structures
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• v.31 no.5
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• pp.473-482
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• 2020

The first-order method for estimating the extreme wind pressure on building envelopes with consideration of the directionality of wind speed and wind pressure is improved to enhance its computational efficiency. In this improved method, the result is obtained directly from the empirical distribution of a random selection of annual maximum wind pressure samples generated by a Monte Carlo method, rather than from the previously utilized extreme wind pressure probability distribution. A discussion of the relationship between the first- and full-order methods indicates that when extreme wind pressures in a non-typhoon climate with a high return period are estimated with consideration of directionality, using the relatively simple first-order method instead of the computationally intensive full-order method is reasonable. The validation of this reasonableness is equivalent to validating two assumptions to improve its computational efficiency: 1) The result obtained by the full-order method is conservative when the extreme wind pressure events among different sectors are independent. 2) The result obtained by the first-order method for a high return period is not significantly affected when the extreme wind speeds among the different sectors are assumed to be independent. These two assumptions are validated by examples in different regions and theoretical derivation.

• Wind and Structures
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• v.36 no.1
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• pp.15-29
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• 2023

To better estimate the non-Gaussian extreme wind pressures for high-rise buildings, a data-driven revised Hermitetype peak factor estimation model is proposed in this papar. Subsequently, a comparative study on three types of methods, such as Hermite-type models, short-time estimate Gumbel method (STE), and new translated-peak-process method (TPP) is carried out. The investigations show that the proposed Hermite-type peak factor has better accuracy and applicability than the other Hermite-type models, and its absolute accuracy is slightly inferior to the STE and new TPP methods for non-Gaussian wind pressures by comparing with the observed values. Moreover, these methods generally overestimate the Gaussian wind pressures especially the STE.

• Wind and Structures
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• v.20 no.3
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• pp.469-488
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• 2015

A full-scale instrumented low-rise building with gable roof was built at a coastal site with a high incidence of tropical cyclones for monitoring of wind effects on the building during windstorms. This paper presents the field measurements of the wind velocity field around and the wind-induced pressures on the low-rise building during the passage of severe tropical storm Soudelor. Near-ground wind characteristics such as wind speed, wind direction, turbulence intensity, gust factor, turbulence integral length scale and wind velocity spectra were investigated. The wind-induced pressures on the roof of the building were analyzed and discussed. The results revealed that the eave and ridge edges on the roof were subjected to the most severe suction pressures under quartering winds. These suction pressures showed obvious non-Gaussian behavior. The measured results were compared with the provisions of ASCE 7-10 to assess the suitability of the code of practice for the wind-resistant design of low-rise buildings under tropical cyclones. The field study aims to provide useful information that can enhance our understanding of the extreme wind effects on low-rise buildings in an effort to reduce tropical cyclone wind damages to residential buildings.

• Wind and Structures
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• v.37 no.3
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• pp.211-227
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• 2023

To investigate the non-Gaussian feature of fluctuating wind pressures on rectangular high-rise buildings, wind tunnel tests were conducted on scale models with side ratios ranging from 1/9~9 in an open exposure for various wind directions. The high-order statistical moments, time histories, probability density distributions, and peak factors of pressure fluctuations are analyzed. The mixed normal-Weibull distribution, Gumbel-Weibull distribution, and lognormal-Weibull distribution are adopted to fit the probability density distribution of different non-Gaussian wind pressures. Zones of Gaussian and non-Gaussian are classified for rectangular buildings with various side ratios. The results indicate that on the side wall, the non-Gaussian wind pressures are related to the distance from the leading edge. Apart from the non-Gaussianity in the separated flow regions noted by some literature, wind pressures behind the area where reattachment happens present non-Gaussian nature as well. There is a new probability density distribution type of non-Gaussian wind pressure which has both long positive and negative tail found behind the reattachment regions. The correlation coefficient of wind pressures is proved to reflect the non-Gaussianity and a new method to estimate the mean reattachment length of rectangular high-rise building side wall is proposed by evaluating the correlation coefficient. For rectangular high-rise buildings, the mean reattachment length calculated by the correlation coefficient method along the height changes in a parabolic shape. Distributions of Gaussian and non-Gaussian wind pressures vary with side ratios. It is inappropriate to estimate the extreme loads of wind pressures using a fixed peak factor. The trend of the peak factor with side ratios on different walls is given.

• Wind and Structures
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• v.13 no.1
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• pp.83-94
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• 2010

Wind tunnel measurements on T-shaped free-standing walls and inclined free-standing walls have been carried out. Mean net pressure coefficients have been derived and compared with previous research. It was observed that the high loads at the free ends are differently distributed than those derived from the pressure coefficients for free-standing walls in EN 1991-1-4. In addition net pressure coefficients based on extreme value analysis have been obtained. The lack of correlation of the wind induced pressures at windward and leeward side result in lower values for the net pressure coefficients when based on extreme value analysis. The results of this wind tunnel study have been included in Dutch guidelines for noise barriers.

• Wind and Structures
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• v.30 no.3
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• pp.299-316
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• 2020

Based on wind tunnel tests, this paper investigates the aerodynamic behavior of a large span canopy roof with elliptical plan and hyperbolic paraboloid shape. The statistics of pressure coefficients and the peak factor distributions are calculated for the top and bottom faces of the roof, and the Gaussian or non-Gaussian characteristics of the pressure time-histories in different areas of the roof are discussed. The cross-correlation of pressures at different positions on the roof, and between the top and bottom faces is also investigated. Combination factors are also evaluated to take into account the extreme values of net loads, relevant to the structural design of canopies.