Influence of wind direction and urban surroundings on natural ventilation of a large football stadium

In this paper, CFD simulations of the natural ventilation of a large semi-enclosed stadium in the Netherlands during summer conditions are described. The simulations are performed to assess the air exchange rate for eight wind directions. The CFD model consists of both the complex stadium geometry and the urban environment in which the stadium is located. Validation of the CFD model is performed using full-scale 3D wind velocity measurements. The computational grid is based on a grid-sensitivity analysis. The results show that the wind direction has a significant effect on the air exchange rate; differences up to 100% are found for the air exchange rate, which can be explained by the presence and size of the buildings situated upstream of the stadium