High-fidelity prediction of flight trajectories of plate-type debris in boundary layer winds

Abstract

From reconnaissance surveys, plate-type objects, such as roof shingles and tiles, are known to be among the most common types of debris objects. Therefore, a reliable prediction of their flight trajectories is instrumental for evaluating the vulnerability of building envelopes, especially in the regions with severe windstorms. Despite the development of several quasi-steady models for this purpose, the current literature lacks high-fidelity models to predict the flight pattern and impact velocity of the windborne debris objects separated from the ground and/or buildings. To address this gap, a coupled computational fluid dynamics and rigid body dynamics simulation framework was developed in the current study to capture the flight trajectories of plate-type debris objects in atmospheric boundary layer winds. Upon establishing a fundamental understanding of main flight characteristics, this study was extended to investigate the effects of initial pitch and yaw angles, plate characteristics, mean wind velocity, and release height on the flight of plate-type debris. In addition, a set of models were developed to predict debris travel distance, as well as linear and angular velocities associated with it. This can be directly employed to assess the impact-induced loading demand that building envelopes are expected to resist due to windborne plate-type debris.