Reduction of tall building motion by aerodynamic treatments: Fid-Bau Portal

Reduction of tall building motion by aerodynamic treatments

Dutton, R. / Isyumov, N.

AbstractIn recent years the subject of tall building motion and its reduction has received considerable attention. With present trends towards taller, lighter, and more flexible structures, the importance of this topic is ever-increasing. Of particular interest are methods to reduce the potentially severe across-wind motion due to vortex shedding excitation. One such method presently under investigation at the Boundary Layer Wind Tunnel Laboratory (BLWTL) is the aerodynamic modification of the building shape to disrupt the vortex shedding process.This paper reports on a wind tunnel model study of a slender tall building of square cross-section. The aerodynamics are modified by introducing openings or “gaps” in the upper half of the building. These gaps extend through the entire building. Different gap widths are examined and two types of data are presented. First, information is presented on the effects of these gaps on overall forces and responses of a 9:1 aspect ratio building, tested on a high frequency force balance. Second, the effects on the time-varying pressures are examined with a 2-dimensional model tested in uniform flow. This study is ongoing and further findings will be reported elsewhere.