Wind Tunnel Investigation of Twisted Wind Effect on a Typical Super-Tall Building

Abstract

This paper investigates the twisted wind effect on a typical super-tall building (500-m-tall square prism) by conducting pressure model wind tunnel tests. Two twisted wind fields (TWFs) with maximum yaw angles of approximately 30° and 20°, respectively, near the ground level were generated in the wind tunnel using a guide vane system, and the test results of wind pressure and wind load in TWFs were compared with those obtained in conventional wind fields (CWFs) with constant wind direction along the vertical axis. In particular, the distribution of extreme cladding pressure as well as the correlation and coherence of local wind loads are discussed in detail. It was observed that the mechanism of the structural dynamic responses, such as the vortex shedding, is greatly affected by TWFs. Both the distributions of mean and extreme cladding pressures in TWFs significantly differ from those in CWFs, especially on the windward and side facades. However, in terms of the amplitudes, the extreme wind pressure and the maximum wind load in TWFs do not noticeably exceed those in CWFs. This study aims to provide useful information for the wind-resistant design of future tall buildings.

Keywords

• twisted wind effect
• wind tunnel test
• tall building
• cladding pressure
• wind load