Aeroelastic wind tunnel tests and numerical simulations on umbrella-shaped tensioned membrane structures in typhoons

This paper presents the wind tunnel test and numerical simulation on umbrella-shaped tensioned membrane structures to investigate the effects of both high wind velocity and various wind direction of typhoon on their aerodynamic behavior. Finite element models are also developed and benchmarked to further investigate the effects on rise-to-span ratio, wind attack angle, and pretension. Results from the experimental tests and finite element analyses show that: (i) the turbulence buffeting in the leeward surface is significant with large displacement responses, especially with the 0° wind direction, large wind attack angle and high rise-to-span ratio; (ii) Non-Gaussian characteristics become remarkable with increasing skewness and kurtosis, which may be contributed by the high-level turbulence intensity in typhoons; and (iii) the effects of rise-to-span ratio, wind attack angle and pretension are proved more significant, which should be considered in the wind-resistance design of membrane structures in typhoons.