RANS Simulation of Wind Loading on Vaulted Canopy Roofs

• Published in: KSCE journal of civil engineering 2021, 25(12), , pp.4814-4833
• Main Authors: Amaya-Gallardo, Edmundo, Pozos-Estrada, Adrián, Gómez, Roberto
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Aspect ratio; Atmospheric boundary layer; Atmospheric models; Boundary layers; Canopies; Canopy; Civil Engineering; Coefficients; Design; Distribution; Engineering; Geotechnical Engineering & Applied Earth Sciences; Industrial Pollution Prevention; Mathematical models; Numerical models; Plant cover; Pressure; Pressure distribution; Reynolds averaged Navier-Stokes method; Schools; Structural Engineering; Structures; Technical information; Wind direction; Wind effects; Wind loads; Wind tunnel testing; Wind tunnels; 토목공학
• ISSN: 1226-7988; 1976-3808
• DOI: 10.1007/s12205-021-0246-z

The use of isolated vaulted canopy roofs (VCR) for schools, emerging shelters, sports and recreational centers, among others, is quite popular worldwide. However, the design of such structures to resist wind effects is usually a problem due to the scarce technical information available in the literature. As an alternative resource, in the present research, wind effects on this type of structures immersed in the atmospheric boundary layer (ABL) are studied numerically by using the 3D Reynolds averaged Navier Stokes (RANS) approach considering different aspect ratios and wind directions. Since wind tunnel testing information for these structures is limited, experimental results of a Gabled Canopy Roof (GCR) as well as some experimental results for VCR are used as a validation source for the numerical models. Based on this validation, the simulation results of the mean wind loads of VCR appear to be reasonably good. The numerical results are used to study the mean net-pressure coefficients ( C PN ) over the VCR models and to establish the theoretical bases for coding them. It was found that the C PN are very sensitive to the VCR curvature and wind direction (90°, 75°, and 60°), and to a less extent to the plan and elevation geometric ratios. Further, it was also found that the use of GCR C PN for the design of VCR, as is usually done in professional practice, could lead to important differences in the magnitude of pressure coefficients and pressure distribution regarding actual VCR C PN and its distribution. A detailed analysis of the C PN for VCRs is presented.