International Comparison of Wind Tunnel Estimates of Wind Effects on Low-Rise Buildings: Test-Related Uncertainties
Publication: Journal of Structural Engineering
Volume 134, Issue 12
Abstract
The consistency of measurements in various wind tunnels is of concern to designers and code writers. This study attempts to quantify the variability of wind effects estimates based on tests conducted at six wind tunnel laboratories. Pressure tap measurements were made on wind tunnel models of four buildings. Comparisons were made between estimated percenttiles of (1) peak positive moments in a frame section near the knee joint and (2) peak pressure coefficients of a roof tap nearest a building corner. Modeling of suburban terrain contributes significantly to the variability. Other factors are eave height, wind direction, and frame location within the building. Coefficients of variation were about 10–40%. A subsequent phase of this research entails a detailed analysis of the reasons for the variabilities. The results could help future improvement of wind load factors that account for all relevant uncertainties in the estimation of wind effects and efforts to improve and standardize wind tunnel simulations.
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Acknowledgments
The last writer, of the National Institute of Standards and Technology, initiated and coordinated this project. The participation of J. Gandemer of the Centre Scientifique et Technique du Bâtiment (CSTB), Nantes, France, H. Okada of the Building Research Institute (BRI), Tsukuba, Japan, T. Reinhold of Clemson University, G. Harris of CECO Building Systems, and L. Shoemaker of The Metal Buildings Manufacturers Association is gratefully acknowledged. NIST partially supported: the work by CSTB and Colorado State University (CSU); the work by the University of Western Ontario and Texas Tech University (TTU) through the NIST/TTU Cooperative Agreement Windstorm Mitigation Initiative; and the work by Clemson University through the NIST/Clemson Cooperative Agreement. The collaboration between NIST and BRI was initiated within the framework of the U.S.–Japan Cooperative Program in Natural Resources (UJNR).NIST
References
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Information & Authors
Information
Published In
Journal of Structural Engineering
Volume 134 • Issue 12 • December 2008
Pages: 1887 - 1890
Copyright
© 2008 ASCE.
History
Received: Oct 23, 2006
Accepted: Mar 24, 2008
Published online: Dec 1, 2008
Published in print: Dec 2008
Notes
Note. Associate Editor: Kurtis R. Gurley
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