This study explores the complementary effects of side and corner modification on the aerodynamic behavior for high-rise buildings across representative design wind speeds. Twelve doubly-symmetric prismatic models were examined using high-frequency force balance (HFFB) wind tunnel testing at the University of Florida. The effectiveness of the aerodynamic strategies was quantified using roof drift and roof acceleration under different design wind speeds covering serviceability and survivability. The results show that both corner and side modifications can achieve promising aerodynamic performance under high design wind speeds. However, the effectiveness of the aerodynamic strategies is significantly reduced under low design wind speeds. With a corner modification strategy, the vortex shedding frequency is increased, leading to worse across-wind response at lower design wind speeds when compared to the square benchmark model. To address this issue, side modifications (i.e., side protrusions) can be used to preserve the vortex shedding frequency and achieve competitive aerodynamic performance while simultaneously maintaining the floor area and geometry. This research explores new aerodynamic modification options for owners, architects, and structural engineers with the aim of better aerodynamic performance for high-rise buildings without compromising other design objectives.
more »
« less
Surrogate-based cyber-physical aerodynamic shape optimization of high-rise buildings using wind tunnel testing
This study proposes a surrogate-based cyber-physical aerodynamic shape optimization (SB-CP-ASO) approach for high-rise buildings under wind loading. Three components are developed in the SB-CP-ASO procedure: (1) an adaptive subtractive manufacturing technique, (2) a high-throughput wind tunnel testing procedure, and (3) a flexible infilling strategy. The downtime of the procedure is minimized through a parallel manufacturing and testing (llM&T) technique. An unexplored double-section setback strategy with various cross-sections and transitions positions is used to demonstrate the performance of the proposed procedure. A total of 173 physical specimens were evaluated to reach the optimization convergence within the reserved testing window. Further analysis of promising shapes considering multiple design wind speeds is suggested to achieve target performance objectives at various hazard levels. Practical information on setback and cross-section modification strategies is discussed based on the optimization results. In comparison with a square benchmark model, the roof drifts for promising candidates with similar building volumes are reduced by more than 70% at wind speeds higher than 50 m/s. This procedure is expected to provide an efficient platform between owners, architects, and structural engineers to identify ideal candidates within a defined design space for real-world applications of high-rise buildings.
more »
« less
- PAR ID:
- 10478419
- Publisher / Repository:
- Elsevier
- Date Published:
- Journal Name:
- Journal of Wind Engineering and Industrial Aerodynamics
- Volume:
- 242
- Issue:
- C
- ISSN:
- 0167-6105
- Page Range / eLocation ID:
- 105586
- Subject(s) / Keyword(s):
- Aerodynamic shape optimization Surrogate modeling Wind tunnel testing CNC manufacturing Tall buildings Aerodynamic strategies
- Format(s):
- Medium: X
- Sponsoring Org:
- National Science Foundation
More Like this
-
-
Investigations on simulated near-surface atmospheric boundary layer (ABL) in an open-jet facility are carried out by conducting experimental tests on small-scale models of low-rise buildings. The objectives of the current study are: (1) to determine the optimal location of test buildings from the exit of the open-jet facility, and (2) to investigate the scale effect on the aerodynamic pressure characteristics. Based on the results, the newly built open-jet facility is well capable of producing mean wind speed and turbulence profiles representing open-terrain conditions. The results show that the proximity of the test model to the open-jet governs the length of the separation bubble as well as the peak roof pressures. However, test models placed at a horizontal distance of 2.5H (H is height of the wind field) from the exit of the open-jet, with a width that is half the width of the wind field and a length of 1H, have consistent mean and peak pressure coefficients when compared with available results from wind tunnel testing. In addition, testing models with as large as 16% blockage ratio is feasible within the open-jet facility. This reveals the importance of open-jet facilities as a robust tool to alleviate the scale restrictions involved in physical investigations of flow pattern around civil engineering structures. The results and findings of this study are useful for putting forward recommendations and guidelines for testing protocols at open-jet facilities, eventually helping the progress of enhanced standard provisions on the design of low-rise buildings for wind.more » « less
-
Optimal design in wind engineering using cyber-physical systems and non-stochastic search algorithmsThis paper explores a cyber-physical systems (CPS) approach to optimize the design of rigid, low-rise structures subjected to wind loading. The approach combines the accuracy of physical wind tunnel testing with the ability to efficiently explore a solution space using numerical optimization algorithms. The approach is fully automated, with experiments executed in a boundary layer wind tunnel (BLWT), sensor feedback monitored by a computer, and actuators used to generate physical changes to a mechatronic structural model. The approach was demonstrated for a low-rise structure with a parapet wall of variable height. A non-stochastic optimization algorithm was implemented to search along the domain of parapet heights to minimize both positive and negative pressures on the roof a of a 1:18 length scale low-rise building model. Experiments were conducted at the University of Florida Experimental Facility (UFEF) of the National Science Foundation’s (NSF) Natural Hazard Engineering Research Infrastructure (NHERI) program.more » « less
-
Blass, Hans (Ed.)Wood buildings in North American has been predominantly constructed using light-framed wood systems since early 1900’s, with only limited exception of heavy timber construction in some non-residential applications. This situation is likely to change in the future with the growing acceptance of mass timber construction in the region. In fact, a number of mass timber buildings have been constructed in recent years in the U.S. and Canada, including low- to mid-rise mixed-use buildings (e.g. UMass Student Center, T3 building) and tall towers (e.g. Brocks Commons at UBC). Most of these buildings utilized cross laminated timber (CLT) or nail laminated timber (NLT) floors and heavy timber framing systems to support gravity loads, and a non-wood lateral system such as concrete shear walls or a braced steel frame to resist wind and seismic loads. Although CLT material and glulam products have been recognized in the U.S. and Canada (IBC (2018) and NBCC (2015), there is currently no mass timber lateral systems in the U.S. and only one system (platform style panelized CLT shear wall) in Canada that is currently recognized by the building codes. As a result, special design procedures and review/approval processes must be followed for any building intended to use a mass timber lateral system. There is a need to promote codification of mass timber lateral systems in order to help further develop mass timber building market in North American. At the time of this paper, there has been an on-going effort to devel-op seismic design parameters for panelized CLT shear walls in the U.S. (ref) following the FEMA P695 procedure for platform construction. The other lateral system that at-tracted significant attention and research resources is post-tensioned CLT rocking wall system, which has the potential to be applicable to balloon framed low-rise to tall wood buildings. This paper will focus on recent research development on CLT rocking wall system in the U.S. and the effort to develop a seismic design procedure for this system for inclusion in the NDS Special Design Provisions for Wind and Seismic (SPDWS)(2008). While the expensive and time consuming process of the FEMA P695 process would provide the ability to use the equivalent lateral force method for design purposes, this path is not part of the discussion included here.more » « less
-
ABSTRACT: This paper explores the use of cyber-physical systems (CPS) for optimal design in wind engineering. The approach combines the accuracy of physical wind tunnel testing with the ability to efficiently explore a solution space using numerical optimization algorithms. The approach is fully automated, with experiments executed in a boundary layer wind tunnel (BLWT), sensor feedback monitored by a high-performance computer, and actuators used to bring about physical changes in the BLWT. Because the model is undergoing physical change as it approaches the optimal solution, this approach is given the name “loop-in-the-model” testing. The building selected for this study is a low-rise structure with a parapet wall of variable height. Parapet walls alter the location of the roof corner vortices, alleviating large suction loads on the windward facing roof corner and edges and setting up an interesting optimal design problem. In the BLWT, the model parapet height is adjusted using servo-motors to achieve a particular design. The model surface is instrumented with pressure taps to measure the envelope pressure loading. The taps are densely spaced on the roof to provide sufficient resolution to capture the change in roof corner vortex formation. Experiments are conducted using a boundary BLWT located at the University of Florida Natural Hazard Engineering Research Infrastructure (NHERI) Experimental Facility. The proposed CPS approach enables the optimal solution to be found quicker than brute force methods, in particular for complex structures with many design variables. The parapet wall provides a proof-of-concept study with a single design variable that has a non-monotonic influence on a structure’s wind load. This study focuses on envelope load effects, seeking the parapet height that minimizes roof and parapet wall suction loading. Implications are significant for more complex structures where the optimal solution may not be obvious and cannot be reasonably determined with traditional experimental or computational methods. KEYWORDS: Cyber-physical systems, optimization, boundary-layer wind tunnel, parapet wall, NHERImore » « less
An official website of the United States government

