Engineering Inc - November/December 2017 - 18

How a Wind Tunnel Works

There's also the task of applying climate data and understanding local microclimate conditions.
"A structure located upstream a couple of hundred meters
away can have a significant impact on the dynamic loading of
a tall building, particularly if the two buildings are not located
within a dense urban setting. A combination of structures in
the area can alter the equation further," says Rofail. This might
translate into a sway of a meter or less under normal circumstances. Depending on how the structure is designed, the sensation for humans could range from negligible to noticeable. "If
people are living and working in a high-rise building and there
is a significant sway once every five or 10 years, it's not a problem. If it's a monthly event, they're probably not going to find it
acceptable," Chatten says.
Things are further complicated by viewing decks, pedestrian
bridges linking structures, outdoor terraces, swimming pools
and other spaces that may be included in a design. Banks points
out that engineers must fully understand wind conditions before
finalizing the design and building the structure. "A building
owner or hotel may want an observation deck or a swimming
pool in a particular place because it offers an awesome view. But
if the location is extremely windy and unpleasant, people aren't
going to use it," Banks says. Although there's some subjectivity
involved in decisions, the issue may lead to an engineer redesigning, modifying or tweaking the space-or building screens or
other structures to deflect or block the wind.
However, the biggest consideration is to ensure that a building or bridge is structurally sound-particularly for a major
event such as a hurricane or typhoon. "The goal is to prevent
the building from sustaining damage or collapsing," Chatten
says. Furthermore, designers have gravitated to slender highrise designs and tapped 3D CAD software to produce complex
shapes for buildings. This means designing the structure for a
1-in-700-year windstorm-or adopting an even longer timeline.
Consequently, wind consultants and structural engineers may
rely on Monte Carlo simulations of hurricanes in computers to
understand the most extreme weather scenarios.
Rofail says that he sometimes generates timelines as long
as 10,000 years. "Because the dynamics of structures can vary
greatly depending on specific wind conditions-particularly
lighter structures such as suspended or cable-stayed bridges-it's
critical to examine a cross-section of conditions and scenarios,"
he says.

1 Engineers assemble
3D-printed components
of the building.

2 The scaled model is
fitted with sensors to
measure wind speeds,
movements and pressures.

3 Wind engineers place
the model in a wind tunnel,
alone or with models of
surrounding buildings.

4 The model is subjected
to different wind
conditions. A minute
usually simulates about
15 to 30 minutes in the
real world.

5 All the data is fed into
software, where it is
analyzed and presented
in a report.

RIDING THE STORM OUT

STEVE McCRACKEN

6 Architects and structural
engineers use the data to
optimize the design.

Today's telecommunication towers, high-rise buildings and longspan bridge structures push the boundaries of architecture and
engineering to new and once unimaginable limits. Burj Khalifa,
the tallest building in the world, reaches more than 160 floors
(828 meters) into the sky above Dubai. The 167-floor Jeddah
Tower in Saudi Arabia, currently under construction and scheduled for completion after 2020, will be the first structure to rise
above 1 kilometer. Typically, wind speeds and turbulence vary
at different levels of structures-and the predominant wind
direction may vary, depending on the location. In addition, the
shape, orientation and cutouts in a building also play a major
role in wind comfort and resiliency. RWDI, which handled the



Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Engineering Inc - November/December 2017

Engineering Inc - November/december 2017
Contents
Standing Up to Mother Nature
Fall Conference
P3s to the Rescue
Young Professionals of the Year
Self-Sustainability
Navigating the Marketplace
Creating Meaningful Connections
From Acec to You
Market Watch
Legislative Action
Guest Column
Mergers and Acquisitions
Members in the News
Florida M.o. Adopts Powerful Acec Brand
Business Insights
Engineering Inc - November/December 2017 - Intro
Engineering Inc - November/December 2017 - Engineering Inc - November/december 2017
Engineering Inc - November/December 2017 - Cover2
Engineering Inc - November/December 2017 - Contents
Engineering Inc - November/December 2017 - 2
Engineering Inc - November/December 2017 - 3
Engineering Inc - November/December 2017 - From Acec to You
Engineering Inc - November/December 2017 - 5
Engineering Inc - November/December 2017 - Market Watch
Engineering Inc - November/December 2017 - 7
Engineering Inc - November/December 2017 - Legislative Action
Engineering Inc - November/December 2017 - 9
Engineering Inc - November/December 2017 - Fall Conference
Engineering Inc - November/December 2017 - 11
Engineering Inc - November/December 2017 - 12
Engineering Inc - November/December 2017 - 13
Engineering Inc - November/December 2017 - Standing Up to Mother Nature
Engineering Inc - November/December 2017 - 15
Engineering Inc - November/December 2017 - 16
Engineering Inc - November/December 2017 - 17
Engineering Inc - November/December 2017 - 18
Engineering Inc - November/December 2017 - 19
Engineering Inc - November/December 2017 - 20
Engineering Inc - November/December 2017 - 21
Engineering Inc - November/December 2017 - P3s to the Rescue
Engineering Inc - November/December 2017 - 23
Engineering Inc - November/December 2017 - 24
Engineering Inc - November/December 2017 - 25
Engineering Inc - November/December 2017 - 26
Engineering Inc - November/December 2017 - Young Professionals of the Year
Engineering Inc - November/December 2017 - 28
Engineering Inc - November/December 2017 - Self-Sustainability
Engineering Inc - November/December 2017 - 30
Engineering Inc - November/December 2017 - 31
Engineering Inc - November/December 2017 - 32
Engineering Inc - November/December 2017 - 33
Engineering Inc - November/December 2017 - Navigating the Marketplace
Engineering Inc - November/December 2017 - 35
Engineering Inc - November/December 2017 - 36
Engineering Inc - November/December 2017 - 37
Engineering Inc - November/December 2017 - Creating Meaningful Connections
Engineering Inc - November/December 2017 - 39
Engineering Inc - November/December 2017 - 40
Engineering Inc - November/December 2017 - 41
Engineering Inc - November/December 2017 - Guest Column
Engineering Inc - November/December 2017 - 43
Engineering Inc - November/December 2017 - Mergers and Acquisitions
Engineering Inc - November/December 2017 - 45
Engineering Inc - November/December 2017 - 46
Engineering Inc - November/December 2017 - 47
Engineering Inc - November/December 2017 - Members in the News
Engineering Inc - November/December 2017 - 49
Engineering Inc - November/December 2017 - Florida M.o. Adopts Powerful Acec Brand
Engineering Inc - November/December 2017 - 51
Engineering Inc - November/December 2017 - Business Insights
Engineering Inc - November/December 2017 - Cover3
Engineering Inc - November/December 2017 - Cover4
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