Wind flow and wind loads on the surface of a towershaped building: Numerical simulations and wind tunnel experiment

Abstract

Flow structure and wind pressure distribution caused by obtuse obstacles are usually the focuses in Computational Wind Engineer researches (CWE). By solving the non- hydrostatical dynamic equations, PUMA model (Peking University Model of Atmospheric Environment) was developed and applied to simulating the flow structure and wind pressure distribution around a tower-shaped building. Evaluation about the wind environment and wind loads around the building was obtained through the analysis of the numerical simulation results and wind tunnel data. Comparisons between the simulation and wind tunnel study indicate that numerical simulation results agree well in the flow field and wind pressure distribution around the tower-shaped building. On the other hand, the horizontal grid interval of 2 m and the vertical grid of 3 m were still too crude to simulate the flow structure and wind pressure distribution on the building surface more exactly in detail; and the absence of suitable pressure perturbation parameterization scheme between the solid and the adjacent space also limits the accuracy of the numerical simulation. The numerical simulation model can be used to evaluate the wind environment and wind load around high buildings.