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This study investigated aerodynamic characteristics of an inclined square prism experimentally. Pressure measurements were performed on a static square prism with a series of inclinations including forward inclinations (inclined to the upwind direction) and backward inclinations (inclined to the downwind direction). The prism with a vertical attitude was also tested for comparisons. Based on the pressure data, influences of the inclinations on aerodynamic characteristics (e.g., force coefficients, pressure distributions on the surfaces, and vortex shedding features) of the square prism were evaluated in detail. The results show that the inclinations have significant effects on these aerodynamic characteristics. Furthermore, the influences of the forward and backward inclinations are quite different.

Field measurements of the wind-induced response of two residential reinforced concrete buildings, among the tallest in the world, have been performed during two typhoons. Natural periods and damping values have been determined and compared with other field measurements and empirical predictors. Suitable and common empirical predictors of natural period and structural damping have been obtained that describe the trend of tall, reinforced concrete buildings whose structural vibrations have been measured in the collection of studies in Hong Kong compiled by the authors. This data is especially important as the amount of information known about the dynamic parameters of buildings of these heights is limited. Effects of the variation of the natural period and damping values on the alongwind response of a tall building for serviceability-level wind conditions have been profiled using the gust response factor approach. When using this approach on these two buildings, the often overestimated natural periods and structural damping values suggested by empirical predictors tended to offset each other. Gust response factors calculated using the natural periods and structural damping values measured in the field were smaller than if calculated using design-stage values.

A series of wind tunnel sectional model dynamic tests of a twin-deck bridge were conducted at the CLP Power Wind/Wave Tunnel Facility (WWTF) of The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST) to investigate the effects of gap-width on the self-excited vibrations and the dynamic and aerodynamic characteristics of the bridge. Five 2.9 m long models with different gap-widths were fabricated and suspended in the wind tunnel to simulate a two-degrees-of-freedom (2DOF) bridge dynamic system, free to vibrate in both vertical and torsional directions. The mass, vertical frequency, and the torsional-to-vertical frequency ratio of the 2DOF systems were fixed to emphasize the effects of gap-width. A free-vibration test methodology was employed and the Eigensystem Realization Algorithm (ERA) was utilized to extract the eight flutter derivatives and the modal parameters from the coupled free-decay responses. The results of the zero gap-width configuration were in reasonable agreement with the theoretical values for an ideal thin flat plate in smooth flow and the published results of models with similar cross-sections, thus validating the experimental and analytical techniques utilized in this study. The methodology was further verified by the comparison between the measured and predicted free-decay responses. A comparison of results for different gap-widths revealed that variations of the gap-width mainly affect the torsional damping property, and that the configurations with greater gap-widths show a higher torsional damping ratio and hence stronger aerodynamic stability of the bridge.

This paper describes the work of the International Association for Wind Engineering Working Group E -Dynamic Response, one of the International Codification Working Groups set up at the Tenth International Conference on Wind Engineering in Copenhagen. Comparisons of gust loading factors and wind-induced responses of major codes and standards are first reviewed, and recent new proposals on 3-D gust loading factor techniques are introduced. Then, the combined effects of along-wind, crosswind and torsional wind load components are discussed, as well as the dynamic characteristics of buildings. Finally, the mathematical forms of along-wind velocity spectra for along-wind response calculation and codification of acceleration criteria are discussed.

Wind tunnel aeroelastic model tests of the Commonwealth Advisory Aeronautical Research Council (CAARC) standard tall building were conducted using a three-degree-of-freedom base hinged aeroelastic(BHA) model. Experimental investigation into the effects of coupled translational-torsional motion, cross-wind/torsional frequency ratio and eccentricity between centre of mass and centre of stiffness on the wind-induced response characteristics and wind excitation mechanisms was carried out. The wind tunnel test results highlight the significant effects of coupled translational-torsional motion, and eccentricity between centre of mass and centre of stiffness, on both the normalised along-wind and cross-wind acceleration responses for reduced wind velocities ranging from 4 to 20. Coupled translational-torsional motion and eccentricity between centre of mass and centre of stiffness also have significant impacts on the amplitude-dependent effect caused by the vortex resonant process, and the transfer of vibrational energy between the along-wind and cross-wind directions. These resulted in either an increase or decrease of each response component, in particular at reduced wind velocities close to a critical value of 10. In addition, the contribution of vibrational energy from the torsional motion to the cross-wind response of the building model can be greatly amplified by the effect of resonance between the vortex shedding frequency and the torsional natural frequency of the building model.

Wind tunnel pressure tests were conducted on a 1:100 scale model of a large industrial building with solar panels mounted parallel to the flat roof. The model form was chosen to have the same aspect ratio as the Texas Tech University test building. Pressures were simultaneously measured on the roof, and on the topside and underside of the solar panel, the latter two combining to produce a nett panelrnpressure. For the configurations tested, varying both the lateral spacing between the panels and the height of the panels above the roof surface had little influence on the measured pressures, except at the leading edge. The orientation of the panels with respect to the wind flow and the proximity of the panels to thernleading edge had a greater effect on the measured pressure distributions. The pressure coefficients are compared against the results for the roof with no panels attached. The model results with no panels attached agreed well with full-scale results from the Texas Tech test building.

A three-degree-of-freedom base hinged assembly (BHA) for aeroelastic model tests of tall building was developed. The integral parts of a BHA, which consists of two perpendicular plane frames and a flexural pivot, enable this modeling technique to independently simulate building translational and torsional degree-of-freedom. A program of wind tunnel aeroelastic model tests of the CAARC standard tall building was conducted with emphasis on the effect of (a) torsional motion, (b) cross-wind/torsional frequency ratio and (c) the presence of an eccentricity between center of mass and center of stiffness on wind-induced response characteristics. The experimental results highlight the significant effect of coupled translational-torsional motion and the effect of eccentricity between center of mass and center of stiffness on the resultant rms acceleration responses in both along-wind and cross-wind directions especially at operating reduced wind velocities close to a critical value of 10. In addition, it was sound that the vortex shedding process remains the main excitation mechanism in cross-wind direction even in case of tall buildings with coupled translational-torsional motion and with eccentricity.