Static Wind Analysis vs. Wind Tunnel Insights: Understanding the Aerodynamic Behavior of a Tensed Parabolic Structure

Arroyo J.L.A.; Albino C.J.H.; Almidon N.E.A.; Zuñiga J.G.B. · Civil Engineering and Architecture (2025) · DOI: 10.13189/cea.2025.130626

Resumen

Strong winds can damage tensile structures, affecting their functionality and generating economic losses. In Peru, the knowledge of tensile structures for both static and dynamic design against wind actions is limited since the Peruvian standard E.020 (loads) only provides criteria for static wind design but not for dynamic behavior. Loads provide only static wind design criteria but not the dynamic behavior. For that reason, this research is focused on wind dynamics through wind tunnel as an essential complement to the static analysis and its respective comparison. For this purpose, the tensile steel structure was proposed with models of 2, 4, 6, and 8 frames, and an analysis with fundamental parameters, which are the topography factor, aerodynamic form factor, and dynamic response factor, was performed in the software RFEM 5 and RDWIN. Subsequently, the wind speed and pressure established in the E.020 standard were used for recalculation, and then the loads were assigned to generate the finite element mesh, culminating in the wind tunnel simulation. As a result, the 6-and 8-frame models showed better performance when analyzed statically and by wind tunnel, showing lower variations in displacement, shear resistance and factor of safety, while the 2-frame models were found to be more sensitive to wind pressure and displacement. Finally, it is concluded that the consideration of the number of frames influences the behavior of tensile systems by static analysis and the dynamic effect used in wind tunnel analysis.

Instituciones: Universidad Continental; Universidad Nacional del Centro del Perú