Determination of Driving Rain Index by Using Hourly Weather Data for Developing a Good Design of Wooden Buildings

Abstract

This research was performed to supplement the previous research about the driving rain index (DRI) for Korea determined by using daily weather data for 30 years. The average annual driving rain index (AADRI) was calculated from the hourly weather data, and the magnitude of DRI was investigated according to wind directions. The hourly climate data were obtained from the Korea Meteorological Administration (KMA) for the period 2009 to 2017. Of 82 locations investigated, seven were classified into regions where the level of exposure of walls to rain was high. The result showed quite a difference from the previous results, in which no high exposure regions were observed. Since the hourly-based and the daily-based annual driving rain index (ADRI) values showed only a slight difference, the result may be explained by the length of the periods used in both studies. The change of DRI according to wind directions showed that there was a certain range of wind directions in which driving rain easily approached building walls. It suggests that the consideration of wind directions with high DRI would be useful to develop a good design of wooden buildings from the point of wood preservation and maintenance.