Special Issue on "Advances in Wind Engineering" Selected Papers from IN-VENTO 2024, the 18th International Conference of the Italian Association for Wind Engineering

This Special Issue collects a selection of scientific contributions presented at IN-VENTO 2024, the biannual conference of the Italian Association for Wind Engineering (ANIV), held in Pisa from 9 to 11 September 2024. Organized in a stimulating and collaborative environment, the 2024 edition once again served as a national and international forum for researchers and engineers engaged in advancing the understanding of wind-related phenomena and their impact on the built and natural environments. The papers gathered cover a wide range of topics, spanning experimental, numerical, and theoretical approaches, reflecting the breadth of contemporary research in wind engineering. The addressed topics include gust buffeting and the response of wind turbine towers under mild and severe wind conditions; topographic effects on the aerodynamic design of long-span bridges such as the Julsundet Bridge; the influence of sand dune geometry on aeolian erosion and dune migration investigated through wind tunnel experiments; and high-fidelity 3D LES simulations of wind-induced loads and pressures on rectangular prisms at varying angles of attack. Further studies address the aerodynamic and dynamic behavior of aeroelastic tree models with different crown porosities, wind-induced tree collapse along railway corridors supported by mesoscale risk mapping, advances toward a reliable calibration of wind load partial factors for the Italian climate, and cost-based versus sustainability-based optimal design strategies for tall steel buildings subjected to wind loads. Together, these works provide a comprehensive overview of current challenges and innovative methodologies in wind engineering. Each contribution underwent a rigorous peer-review process to ensure scientific quality and relevance. We are grateful to all authors for their valuable work and to the reviewers for their time and constructive feedback. We would also like to thank supporting institutions (ANIV and University of Pisa) and the sponsors (GERB Vibration Control Italy and Pininfarina Wind Tunnel) whose efforts made IN-VENTO 2024 a successful and inspiring event. We hope that the research presented in this volume will serve as a useful reference for the wind engineering community and foster further innovation in the field.