Tall Buildings

Dynamic Wind Effects On Tall Buildings & Slender Structures

Wind effects on slender structures can produce dynamic loading that exceeds typical design levels. GmE has extensive experience and knowledge with structures such as: stacks, lattice towers, cable stayed and suspension bridges, long-span roofs, as well as tensioned fabric structures. We are able to design, build, and test dynamic models to reproduce the full scale behaviour, and measure design quantities such as bending moments and deflections. GmE also has the tools and experience to undertake full scale measurements and provide design advice.

Wind Effects On Tall Buildings In
The City Core HFFB Model of a Tall Building Among Surrounding Buildings in GmE’s Wind Tunnel

The design of tall buildings requires knowledge of wind impacts for efficient design of cladding and structural systems. Wind loading is best determined by wind tunnel testing of a physical scale model of the study building placed among its surroundings. For most tall buildings, overall base forces and overturning moments, as well as floor-by-floor loads can be determined with the High-Frequency Force-Balance (HFFB) method. This involves building a light-weight model of the building and mounting it on a stiff strain-gauge flexure. Base forces and moments are measured for 36 wind angles at 10 ° intervals. Corresponding full-scale values and floor-by-floor loads are derived from these measurements and knowledge of the building dynamic properties. Information about the building’s motion, as it affects occupant comfort, is also derived from the basic measured data.

Tall Buildings

Accurate knowledge of cladding pressures is beneficial to produce a cost effective design for the building envelope. Surface pressures are performed using a rigid geometric model of the study building located among its surroundings. Data from the wind tunnel for each of 36 wind directions is integrated with a statistical model of the wind climate for the area.

Tall Building