Finite-Element Modeling of Bunkie Structures Subjected to Boundary Layer and Thunderstorm Flows
Publication: Journal of Structural Engineering
Volume 149, Issue 5
Abstract
In Canada, southern Ontario is strongly affected by high-intensity thunderstorms, leading to catastrophic structural and economic losses. People in rural areas are more prone to those weather-related fatalities due to the lack of suitable storm shelters. This paper will build on previous research where three commonly used Bunkie shapes in Ontario, Canada, were tested experimentally at the Toronto Metropolitan University wind tunnel under boundary layer and downburst flows. This led to an aerodynamic database consisting of force and moment coefficients for the three shapes. In this paper, it is planned to couple the available aerodynamic database with the climate analysis in southern Ontario to quantify the actual forces and moments on low-rise Bunkie structures seen during normal wind and downburst flows. Subsequently, typical construction cross sections for low-rise wooden framed buildings were assumed, and the behavior of the Bunkie structures was assessed under both wind fields to evaluate their potential usage as storm shelters. This was achieved using finite-element modeling, and potential retrofitting solutions are suggested to stiffen the structures to resist high-intensity wind events.
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Data Availability Statement
Some or all data, models, or code that support the findings of this study are available from the corresponding author upon reasonable request.
Acknowledgments
The second author would like to thank the National Sciences and Engineering Research Center (NSERC) for the generous funding received for this project, and the first author is grateful to receive the Ontario Graduate Scholarship (OGS) and the Mitacs Accelerate internship between 2020 and 2023.
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Published In
Journal of Structural Engineering
Volume 149 • Issue 5 • May 2023
Copyright
© 2023 American Society of Civil Engineers.
History
Received: Apr 20, 2022
Accepted: Aug 19, 2022
Published online: Feb 28, 2023
Published in print: May 1, 2023
Discussion open until: Jul 28, 2023
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