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13 pages, 13741 KiB

Open AccessArticle

The Influence of Mountain Height and Distance on Shape Factor of Wind Load of Plastic Tunnel

by Jing Xu, Xiaoying Ren, Guifeng He, Shaohan Di, Zhiqing Shi and Zongmin Liang

Appl. Sci. 2023, 13(24), 13081; https://doi.org/10.3390/app132413081 - 7 Dec 2023

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Due to their soft structure and covering material, plastic greenhouses are vulnerable to wind disasters, causing large-scale damage and huge economic losses. The wind load of greenhouses depends on the surface wind pressure distribution, which is different for greenhouses located in valleys from [...] Read more.

Due to their soft structure and covering material, plastic greenhouses are vulnerable to wind disasters, causing large-scale damage and huge economic losses. The wind load of greenhouses depends on the surface wind pressure distribution, which is different for greenhouses located in valleys from those in plain areas. To study the wind pressure distribution law for various regions of greenhouses built in valleys, mountain and greenhouse models have been built by Computational Fluid Dynamics, in which the length direction of the greenhouse is perpendicular to the valley and the wind direction is parallel to the valley. In the analysis, the verified turbulence model and grid division method are both introduced, and the effect of the height and distance of mountains is considered. According to the distribution law of wind pressure, the greenhouse’s surface is partitioned, and the variation law of the shape factor of wind load on a plastic tunnel is analyzed. Then, the calculation model for the shape factor of the wind load on the greenhouse located in a valley is proposed. The conclusions show that: (a) When the wind inflow direction angle is parallel to the valley, the distribution pattern of wind pressure on the surface of the greenhouse is similar to that on the plain regardless of the distance and height of the mountains, while the values of the wind pressure are greatly affected by the mountain height and distance. The distance between mountains has greater influence than the effect of mountain height. (b) The shape factor of wind load on the suction area of the greenhouse decreases as the distance of mountains increases, while the shape factor on the pressure area of the greenhouse increases with the increase in the distance. It can be seen that the valley effect is non-negligible. The narrower and deeper the valley, the greater the wind pressure effect. (c) When the ratio of the distance between the foot of the mountain and the greenhouse d to the height of the mountain H is less than 5, i.e., d/H < 5, the ratio of the distance to the height has a significant impact on the shape factor of wind load on the greenhouse. When d/H is close to 10, the shape factor of the wind load in the valley area is close to that in the plain area, and the effect of the ratio between the height and the distance is negligible. (d) The proposed calculation model can be used to calculate the effect of mountain height and distance on the shape factor of wind load. The research results can be used in the wind resistance design of plastic greenhouses in valley areas, and can also provide some data support for the revision of the greenhouse structural load code. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Structural Wind Engineering)

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18 pages, 13500 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Wind Load Distribution in Float Photovoltaic System

by Hyung-Joong Joo, Seong-Jun Heo, Sun-Hee Kim and Wonchang Choi

Appl. Sci. 2023, 13(22), 12144; https://doi.org/10.3390/app132212144 - 8 Nov 2023

Viewed by 1802

Abstract

This paper investigates wind load distribution in float PV plants. Wave and wind load are dominant environmental load factors in determining design load in float PV plants. In particular, wind load is determined based on the numerical analysis results. The literature indicates that [...] Read more.

This paper investigates wind load distribution in float PV plants. Wave and wind load are dominant environmental load factors in determining design load in float PV plants. In particular, wind load is determined based on the numerical analysis results. The literature indicates that several input parameters exist, such as inlet angle and space between PV modules. An exemplary structure with ten arrays of PV modules was generated in this study. To investigate the wind load distribution in a float PV plant, the computational fluid dynamic (CFD) analysis was conducted with variables including wind direction (inlet angles) and three wind speeds (36.2, 51.7, and 70 m/s) in PV modules in the floating structure. Based on the numerical analysis, the wind load distribution of PV modules can be characterized with respect to the inlet angle and wind speed. The numerical results show that the wind loads in the central arrays are dominant. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Structural Wind Engineering)

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22 pages, 9788 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Dynamic Response of Slender Vertical Structures Subjected to Thunderstorm Outflows

by Luca Roncallo, Matteo Gimondo and Federica Tubino

Appl. Sci. 2023, 13(20), 11440; https://doi.org/10.3390/app132011440 - 18 Oct 2023

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1002

Abstract

This study examines the maximum alongwind dynamic response of slender vertical structures subjected to thunderstorms, comparing the induced maximum response with the one induced via synoptic events. Two real structures are considered as case studies: a lighting pole and a telecommunications tower. The [...] Read more.

This study examines the maximum alongwind dynamic response of slender vertical structures subjected to thunderstorms, comparing the induced maximum response with the one induced via synoptic events. Two real structures are considered as case studies: a lighting pole and a telecommunications tower. The comparison between thunderstorm- and synoptic-induced dynamic responses is performed through a critical analysis of three ratios characterizing the difference between the two phenomena: the reference wind speed, the mean wind profile, and the gust response factor. The comparison shows that the definition of the reference wind speed and the height of the nose tip of the thunderstorm mean wind profile are crucial for the maximum response, as well as for the dependence of the turbulence intensity on the roughness length. The results show that thunderstorms provide the design loading condition in most cases. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Structural Wind Engineering)

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23 pages, 13176 KiB

Open AccessFeature PaperArticle

Experimental and Numerical Estimation of the Aerodynamic Forces Induced by the Wind Acting on a Fast-Erecting Crane

by Marcin Augustyn, Marek Barski, Małgorzata Chwał and Adam Stawiarski

Appl. Sci. 2023, 13(19), 10826; https://doi.org/10.3390/app131910826 - 29 Sep 2023

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1269

Abstract

The current work concerns the problem of estimating the aerodynamic forces and moments induced by the wind on the fast-erecting 63K crane by Liebherr. In the first step, scaled sectional models of the tower truss and horizontal jib truss are prepared for experimental [...] Read more.

The current work concerns the problem of estimating the aerodynamic forces and moments induced by the wind on the fast-erecting 63K crane by Liebherr. In the first step, scaled sectional models of the tower truss and horizontal jib truss are prepared for experimental analysis in an aerodynamic tunnel. Next, the aerodynamic forces and moments are measured in the aerodynamic tunnel. It is assumed that the direction of the wind changes from 0° to 180° in 15° steps for both of the studied sectional models. The experimental tests are carried out for two levels of turbulence intensity. In the case of the model of the vertical part of the studied crane, the turbulence intensities are assumed to be equal to 3% and 9%. In the case of the horizontal crane jib, they are 3% and 12%, respectively. In the second step, a CFD analysis is performed with the use of Ansys Fluent R22 software. The standard k-ε model with a standard wall function of the turbulent flow is utilized. The airflow around the studied structures is modeled with the use of polytetrahedral cells. A relatively good agreement between the numerical and experimental results is observed. The obtained values are compared to the appropriate standard, namely PN-ISO 4302. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Structural Wind Engineering)

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14 pages, 3885 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Experimental Simulation of Thunderstorm Profiles in an Atmospheric Boundary Layer Wind Tunnel

by Camila Aldereguía Sánchez, Federica Tubino, Anna Bagnara and Giuseppe Piccardo

Appl. Sci. 2023, 13(14), 8064; https://doi.org/10.3390/app13148064 - 10 Jul 2023

Cited by 4 | Viewed by 1830

Abstract

Thunderstorms have different features in comparison with synoptic events, including a typical nose-shaped mean wind speed profile and non-stationary characteristics in time intervals from 10 min to 1 h. The simulation of thunderstorms in traditional wind tunnels requires suitable devices in order to [...] Read more.

Thunderstorms have different features in comparison with synoptic events, including a typical nose-shaped mean wind speed profile and non-stationary characteristics in time intervals from 10 min to 1 h. The simulation of thunderstorms in traditional wind tunnels requires suitable devices in order to replicate their peculiar characteristics. Disregarding the non-stationary characteristics of thunderstorm outflows, this paper aims to study the possibility of adopting a passive device such as a specially designed grid in order to reproduce the nose-shaped mean wind speed profile. A widely adopted model of the mean wind velocity profile from the literature is employed as a target profile for the verification of the experimental findings. The results obtained show a good agreement between the measured and target mean wind speed profiles and an acceptable turbulence intensity level compared with full-scale and experimental measurements. The proposed device offers a practical and cost-effective solution to simulate the main characteristics of a thunderstorm event in a traditional atmospheric boundary layer wind tunnel, which could be adopted to assess the significance of thunderstorm loading on civil engineering structures and define the requirement for ad hoc specialist studies. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Structural Wind Engineering)

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13 pages, 9592 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Calibration of Mean Wind Profiles Using Wind Lidar Measurements

by Vincenzo Sepe, Alberto Maria Avossa, Fabio Rizzo and Francesco Ricciardelli

Appl. Sci. 2023, 13(8), 5077; https://doi.org/10.3390/app13085077 - 18 Apr 2023

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Abstract

This paper explores the applicability of Lidar wind measurements for the calibration of mean wind profiles depending on the extension in time and space of the available measurements. Starting from logarithmic wind speed profiles corresponding to different site conditions, pseudo-experimental wind speed profiles [...] Read more.

This paper explores the applicability of Lidar wind measurements for the calibration of mean wind profiles depending on the extension in time and space of the available measurements. Starting from logarithmic wind speed profiles corresponding to different site conditions, pseudo-experimental wind speed profiles are generated artificially by adding a zero-mean Gaussian-distributed noise, representative of realistic measurement errors. Then, a least-square fitting procedure is applied to identify the roughness length and the zero-plane displacement. The results obtained show an increase in the scatter of the estimated parameters of the logarithmic law with increasing elevation of the lowest measurement point. Then, a parametric study is developed to analyse the influence of the number of available experimental profiles on the uncertainty associated with the estimated logarithmic law parameters. Based on the results obtained, it can be pointed out that the availability of measurements at low elevations is essential to identify the logarithmic mean wind profile using a reasonable number of observations. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Structural Wind Engineering)

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23 pages, 7903 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Effects of Corner Set−Backs on Wind Loads and Wind Induced Responses of Rectangular Tall Buildings

by Yi Li, Jieting Yin and Yan Zhang

Appl. Sci. 2022, 12(24), 12742; https://doi.org/10.3390/app122412742 - 12 Dec 2022

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1822

Abstract

In order to investigate the effects of corner set-backs on wind loads and wind-induced responses of rectangular high-rise buildings, pressure measurements were carried out on a benchmark model (CARRC) and four models with different rates (5%, 10%, 15%, 20%) of corner set-backs in [...] Read more.

In order to investigate the effects of corner set-backs on wind loads and wind-induced responses of rectangular high-rise buildings, pressure measurements were carried out on a benchmark model (CARRC) and four models with different rates (5%, 10%, 15%, 20%) of corner set-backs in a boundary layer wind tunnel. The test results show that the corner set-backs contribute to reducing along-wind loads of the rectangular high-rise building models, and the maximum reduction happens at 10% corner set-back. The across-wind loads decrease as the rate of corner set-back is increasing and the maximum reduction emerges at 20% corner set-back. The RMS accelerations at the top of models also decrease with the increasing of rate of corner set-back in along-wind and across-wind. Through the fitting of test results, empirical formulas for the correlation factors of base moment coefficients of rectangular high-rise buildings with different rates of corner set-back are put forward. Moreover, the correlation factors for the power spectrum densities of base moments are listed at typical frequencies corresponding to the practical tall buildings. The outputs of this paper aim to serve as references for wind-resistant design of similar buildings in strong wind region. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Structural Wind Engineering)

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16 pages, 8121 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Variation Characteristics of the Wind Field in a Typical Thunderstorm Event in Beijing

by Ailin Zhang, Shi Zhang, Xiaoda Xu, Haibin Zhong and Bo Li

Appl. Sci. 2022, 12(23), 12036; https://doi.org/10.3390/app122312036 - 24 Nov 2022

Cited by 4 | Viewed by 1730

Abstract

The understanding of wind field characteristics during thunderstorms is key to structural design for resistance to thunderstorms. In this paper, the directional thunderstorm wind model is adopted to analyze the characteristics of vertical variations of the wind field in a typical thunderstorm event [...] Read more.

The understanding of wind field characteristics during thunderstorms is key to structural design for resistance to thunderstorms. In this paper, the directional thunderstorm wind model is adopted to analyze the characteristics of vertical variations of the wind field in a typical thunderstorm event in the Beijing urban area, based on the measured data. First, the longitudinal and lateral fluctuating wind speed components were decoupled and the change of direction was obtained. Then, variation of the wind speed, wind direction, turbulence intensity, turbulence integral length scale, and gust factor with the height and time were studied. The measured thunderstorm wind spectrum and the coherence function of horizontal longitudinal reduced turbulent fluctuations were analyzed and compared with empirical models. The results showed that the wind speed profile presented an obvious “nose shape” near the peak wind speed. The longitudinal turbulence integral scale was larger than the lateral one. The Von Karman spectrum is relatively effective in fitting the thunderstorm wind spectrum. Compared with synoptic winds, the gust factor during the pass of thunderstorm wind is larger, so it seems necessary to consider the influence of thunderstorm wind in engineering design. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Structural Wind Engineering)

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19 pages, 10924 KiB

Open AccessArticle

The Interference Effects of Wind Load and Wind-Induced Dynamic Response of Quayside Container Cranes

by Xiaotong Wu, Ying Sun, Yue Wu, Ning Su and Shitao Peng

Appl. Sci. 2022, 12(21), 10969; https://doi.org/10.3390/app122110969 - 29 Oct 2022

Cited by 5 | Viewed by 1815

Abstract

Strong wind has caused damage to group-arranged quayside container cranes in terminals and ports in recent years. Interference may amplify the wind loads in some cases. However, the interference effect among cranes has rarely been studied. In this study, high-frequency force balance tests [...] Read more.

Strong wind has caused damage to group-arranged quayside container cranes in terminals and ports in recent years. Interference may amplify the wind loads in some cases. However, the interference effect among cranes has rarely been studied. In this study, high-frequency force balance tests were conducted to obtain the wind load of isolated and group-arranged container cranes. The results of the computational fluid dynamics simulation were validated by wind tunnel tests and provided the mean wind loads of all 15 types of member cranes. According to the results from wind tunnel tests, the fluctuating wind loads of each member were generated using the weighted amplitude wave superposition method. Based on dynamic finite element methods, the wind-induced responses were obtained considering the interference effect. It was found that the interference effect is the combined effects of both the shielding effect and the amplification of turbulence. Although in some cases the fluctuating and peak wind loads can increase by up to 16% and 6%, respectively, those in the most unfavorable cases are reduced by the interference effect. The interference factor for extreme nodal deformation is 0.56 and 0.69. The interference effect in container cranes mainly appears as a shielding effect, reducing the wind loads and response of the structures in unfavorable cases. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Structural Wind Engineering)

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23 pages, 43545 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Investigation of the Pressure Coefficients Correlation Field for Low-Rise Building Roofs

by Fabio Rizzo, Vincenzo Sepe and Maria Francesca Sabbà

Appl. Sci. 2022, 12(21), 10790; https://doi.org/10.3390/app122110790 - 25 Oct 2022

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1444

Abstract

The use of hyperbolic paraboloid roofing (HPRs) is increasingly common in contemporary architecture, especially for buildings with large spans, making use of tensile structures or light shells. These structures are very sensitive to wind loads because of their light weight. In particular, they [...] Read more.

The use of hyperbolic paraboloid roofing (HPRs) is increasingly common in contemporary architecture, especially for buildings with large spans, making use of tensile structures or light shells. These structures are very sensitive to wind loads because of their light weight. In particular, they tend to oscillate under wind action, generating complex pressure distributions and cable instability. Therefore, for this shape structure, the investigation of wind-pressure coefficients correlations plays a relevant role in the design of structural elements. Therefore, based on wind tunnel tests, this paper investigates the behavior of four rectangular low-rise building models with HPR when immersed in a turbulent boundary layer flow. The test results were synthesized in correlation maps of the pressure coefficients. The results were evaluated as functions of different model heights and curvatures, and considering three different angles of wind incidence (0°, 45°, and 90°). Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Structural Wind Engineering)

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