Mode analysis and low-order dynamic modelling of the three-dimensional turbulent flow filed around a building

This study presents a mode analysis of 3D turbulent velocity data around a square-section building model to identify the dynamic system for Karman-type vortex shedding. Proper orthogonal decomposition (POD) was first performed to extract the significant 3D modes. Magnitude-squared coherence was then applied to detect the phase consistency between the modes, which were roughly divided into three groups. Group 1 (modes 1-4) depicted the main vortex shedding on the wake of the building, with mode 2 being controlled by the inflow fluctuation. Group 2 exhibited complex wake vortexes and single-sided vortex phenomena, while Group 3 exhibited more complicated phenomena, including flow separation. Subsequently, a thirdorder polynomial regression model was used to fit the dynamics system of modes 1, 3, and 4, which revealed average trend of the state trajectory. The two limit cycles of the regression model depicted the two rotation directions of Kármán-type vortex. Furthermore, two characteristic periods were identified from the trajectory generated by the regression model, which indicates fast and slow motions of the wake vortex. This study provides valuable insights into 3D mode morphology and dynamics of Karman-type vortex shedding that helps to improve design and efficiency of structures in turbulent flow.