Wind and Structures

Volume 13, Number 1, 2010, pages 83-94

DOI: 10.12989/was.2010.13.1.083

Wind loads on T-shaped and inclined free-standing walls

Chris Geurts and Carine van Bentum

Abstract

Wind tunnel measurements on T-shaped free-standing walls and inclined free-standing walls have been carried out. Mean net pressure coefficients have been derived and compared with previous research. It was observed that the high loads at the free ends are differently distributed than those derived from the pressure coefficients for free-standing walls in EN 1991-1-4. In addition net pressure coefficients based on extreme value analysis have been obtained. The lack of correlation of the wind induced pressures at windward and leeward side result in lower values for the net pressure coefficients when based on extreme value analysis. The results of this wind tunnel study have been included in Dutch guidelines for noise barriers.

Key Words

wind load; wind tunnel test; free-standing wall; mean values; extreme value analysis.

Address

Chris Geurts and Carine van Bentum; TNO Built Environment and Geosciences, PO Box 49, 2600 AA Delft, the Netherlands