Knowledge Base

In recent years, there has been a rise in interest in the use of computational fluid dynamics, known as CFD, for the design of wind-susceptible structures. This is due to the fact that advancements in computer power have made the solution to complicated flow problems relatively inexpensive. The size of the computational domain is an important aspect that has a significant impact on the accuracy as well as the cost of CFD simulations.

In computational fluid dynamics (CFD), complex surfaces that are not completely solid can be modeled using porous or permeability media. In the actual world, examples of such things include windbreak fabric structures, wire meshes, perforated facades and claddings, louvers, tube banks (stacks of horizontal cylinders), and so on.

Windbreak structures are special types of fabric structures which protect the environment from harmful chemical particles, abate wind erosion, and help to maintain valuable sources. RFEM and RWIND are used for wind-structure analysis as one-way fluid-structure interaction (FSI).

RWIND 2 is a program for generating wind loads based on CFD (Computational Fluid Dynamics). The wind flow numerical simulation is generated around any building, including irregular or unique geometry types, to determine the wind loads on surfaces and members. RWIND 2 can be integrated with RFEM/RSTAB for the structural analysis and design or as a stand-alone application.

In this article, the results of RWIND, ABAQUS, and ANSYS are compared with a wind tunnel test using a geometrically simple structural model. It is based on a master's thesis providing data from ABAQUS, ANSYS, and wind tests.

RWIND 2 is a program for generating wind loads based on CFD (Computational Fluid Dynamics). The wind flow numerical simulation is generated around any building including irregular or unique geometry types to determine the wind loads on surfaces and members. RWIND 2 can be integrated with RFEM/RSTAB for the structural analysis and design or as a stand-alone application.

Since wind on laterally open structures is not addressed in the Eurocode, the 4 cases of the German DIN 1055, Part 4 are referenced.

Structures react differently to wind action depending on stiffness, mass, and damping. A basic distinction is made between buildings that are prone to vibration and those that are not.

Computer technology has a firm grip on digital structural analysis and design. With each new development, the planners involved are able to increase the limits of what is feasible.

Structures are naturally three-dimensional. However, because it was impossible to perform calculations on three-dimensional models easily in the past, the structures were simplified and broken down into planar subsystems. With the increasing performance of computers and related software, it is often possible to do without these simplifications.

Digital trends such as Building Information Modeling (BIM) and new options for creating realistic visualized models reinforce this trend. But do 3D models really offer an advantage, or are we just following a trend? The following text presents some arguments for working in 3D models.