Wind-Tunnel Testing of Structures

Civil engineers, architects, and city planners are beginning to use design data derived from wind-tunnel tests as extensively as aeronautical engineers have for many years. This evolution of wind engineering has been made possible by development of special meteorological wind tunnels that simulate essential characteristics of natural boundary-layer-type wind. Unique features of these wind tunnels include a long test section— quite different than the coventional aeronautical wind tunnel. Modeling criteria, measurement techniques, and data processing to determine mean and fluctuating wind pressures, dynamic response, and induced street level winds from measurements on small-scale models of structures have been established. Currently, physical modeling of these wind effects in a simulated wind is the only reliable source of design data.