Wind and Structures

Volume 16, Number 1, 2013, pages 25-46

DOI: 10.12989/was.2013.16.1.025

Internal pressure in a low-rise building with existing envelope openings and sudden breaching

Amanuel S. Tecle, Girma T. Bitsuamlak and Aly Mousaad ALY

Abstract

This paper presents a boundary-layer wind tunnel (BLWT) study on the effect of variable dominant openings on steady and transient responses of wind-induced internal pressure in a low-rise building. The paper presents a parametric study focusing on differences and similarities between transient and steady-state responses, the effects of size and locations of dominant openings and vent openings, and the effects of wind angle of attack. In addition, the necessity of internal volume correction during sudden breaching, i.e., a transient response experiment was investigated. A comparison of the BLWT data with ASCE 7-2010, as well as with limited large-scale data obtained at a \'Wall of Wind\' facility, is presented.

Key Words

internal pressure; dominant openings; sudden breach; compartment; vents; gable roof; volume correction; boundary-layer wind tunnel; wall-of-wind

Address

Amanuel S. Tecle and Girma T. Bitsuamlak : 1Laboratory for Wind Engineering Research, International Hurricane Research Center/Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Florida International University, Miami, Florida 33174, USA Aly Mousaad ALY : WindEEE Research Institute, Western University, London, ON, Canada