Field measurements and numerical simulations of wind-driven rain on a low-rise building during typhoons

Abstract

Wind-driven rain (WDR) has significantly unfavorable effects on the performance and durability of the enclosure systems of low-rise buildings. Therefore, a field measurement facility for the WDR on a gable-roofed low-rise building with overhang has been established and implemented in a typhoon-prone region of China. This paper presents and analyzes the field measurements of the WDR on the facades of the full-scale building during a typhoon in 2018. In addition, numerical simulations of the WDR on the instrumented building are performed using the Eulerian Multiphase model and validated based on the field measured WDR results. Then, a detailed parametric study of numerical simulation is carried out to examine the influences of roof overhang, wind speed, wind direction and horizontal rainfall intensity on the WDR amounts on the building facades. Next, the WDR on the low-rise building during a super typhoon are numerically reproduced and investigated. The measurement techniques and numerical simulation methodologies, analyzed results and conclusions presented in this paper would be useful to understand and evaluate the WDR on building facades so as to improve the serviceability of low-rise building envelopes.