Work

Comparative evaluation of wind tunnel and analytical models against field data over heterogeneous terrain

Year: 2025

Type: article

Abstract: Wind profile simulations are essential for predicting wind loads on structures during the design phase. The limitations of assuming homogeneous terrain roughness are increasingly recognized, prompting the development of heterogeneous wind tunnel simulations and analytical methods that incorporate roughness transitions. However, validation of these methods against field data remains limited. This study evaluates the ability of wind tunnel experiments and an analytical approach to replicate near-surface wind profiles over complex heterogeneous terrain. Field measurements from nine coastal sites during hurricane events were used for validation. Upwind terrain was modeled using high-resolution satellite imagery and physically reproduced via the Terraformer system at the University of Florida. Analytical wind profiles were generated using the enhanced Harris-Deaves model. Prediction performance was quantitatively assessed using metrics such as R2, MAPE, and MAE. Results show that the heterogeneous wind tunnel method outperformed the homogeneous assumption as the overall roughness length increased, while the homogeneous assumptions yielded reasonable results at lower roughness levels. Analytical models exhibited comparable performance to physical testing in several cases, highlighting their potential for efficient preliminary assessments. Through this comparative evaluation, the study critically examines the applicability and limitations of each modeling approach, and provides practical guidance for selecting appropriate wind profile modeling strategies based on terrain complexity.

Source: Building and Environment

DOI: 10.1016/j.buildenv.2025.114025

Authors: Lee-Sak An, Sejin Kim, Sungmoon Jung

Institutions: Kongju National University, Chungbuk National University, Florida A&M University - Florida State University College of Engineering

Language: English

Topic: Wind and Air Flow Studies

Subfield: Environmental Engineering

Field: Environmental Science

Domain: Physical Sciences

SDG: Climate action

Open Access status: hybrid

Estimated APC paid: $4,280