Escarpment Study in a Virtual Flow Environment: a Comparative Analysis of a Single Building Type Modeled in Varying Topological Situations

This paper documents the progress of research to investigate the integration of 3-dimensionalcomputational modelling techniques into wind mitigation analysis and design for building structureslocated in high wind prone areas. Some of the basic mechanics and theoretical concepts of fluid flowand wind pressure as well as their translation into design criteria for structural analysis and design arereviewed, followed by a discussion of a detailed Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) application casestudy for a simulated “3-second gust” hurricane force wind flow over a low rectangular building locatedin a coastal region of south Florida. The case study project models the wind flow behaviour and pressuredistribution over the building structure when situated in three varying conditions within a single terrainexposure category. The simulations include three-dimensional modelling of the building type constructed(1) on-grade in a flat coastal area, (2) above grade with the building elevated on structural columns, and(3) on-grade downwind of an escarpment. The techniques and parameters for development of thesimulations are discussed and some preliminary interpretations of the results are evaluated bycomparing their predictions to existing experimental and analytical data, with special attention paid tothe numerical methods outlined in the American Society of Civil Engineers, Minimum Design Loads forBuildings and Other Structures, ASCE 7-98