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        <title>Frontiers in Built Environment | Wind Engineering and Science section | New and Recent Articles</title>
        <link>https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/built-environment/sections/wind-engineering-and-science</link>
        <description>RSS Feed for Wind Engineering and Science section in the Frontiers in Built Environment journal | New and Recent Articles</description>
        <language>en-us</language>
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        <pubDate>2026-05-12T21:19:27.829+00:00</pubDate>
        <ttl>60</ttl>
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        <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fbuil.2026.1749310</guid>
        <link>https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fbuil.2026.1749310</link>
        <title><![CDATA[A novel simulation framework to estimate dynamic response of a solar panel array under stationary stochastic wind loads]]></title>
        <pubdate>2026-03-03T00:00:00Z</pubdate>
        <category>Original Research</category>
        <author>Hanshu Zhang</author><author>You-Jia Li</author><author>Matthew J. DeJong</author>
        <description><![CDATA[This paper presents a novel simulation framework for estimating the dynamic response of a full-scale ground-mounted solar panel array under stationary wind loads that are spatially correlated across the length of the solar panel array. Specifically, the framework uses mean pressure coefficient distributions along the length of a 1:10 prototype scale of the solar panel array from smooth inflow derived using the computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulation software The Wind Engineering with Uncertainty Quantification (WE-UQ). Note that for the CFD simulation, the input wind field across the length of the solar panel array is uniform along the horizontal direction, and the wind field is smooth inflow. Next, the simulated stochastic wind loads are generated from the spatially varying and correlated stationary wind velocities along the full-scale solar panel array using a stochastic wave approach from the spectral representation method (SRM), as well as the mean pressure coefficients derived from the CFD simulation. Further, the simulated stochastic wind loads are applied to a solar panel array finite element model using the Open System for Earthquake Engineering Simulation (OpenSees) to simulate dynamic responses. Displacements of solar panel modules and torque strains on the torque tube are estimated to observe the performance of the solar panel array. The mode shapes and the corresponding frequencies can be identified from the results, and the accuracy can be validated by comparing the frequencies obtained from the solar panel model. Further, strong mean wind velocities are applied in the proposed simulation framework to assess the torsional strain of the torque tube. Consequently, the proposed simulation framework provides a valuable, novel tool for solar panel array analysis that is much more computationally efficient than existing methods.]]></description>
      </item><item>
        <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fbuil.2025.1558829</guid>
        <link>https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fbuil.2025.1558829</link>
        <title><![CDATA[Parametric study to investigate span-wire traffic signal system performance during tropical storms]]></title>
        <pubdate>2025-06-02T00:00:00Z</pubdate>
        <category>Original Research</category>
        <author>Benito A. Berlanga</author><author>Ioannis Zisis</author><author>Manuel Matus</author><author>Ziad Azzi</author><author>Peter I. Irwin</author>
        <description><![CDATA[In Florida, many highway intersections use span-wire systems to support traffic signals, making their ability to withstand extreme wind events, like hurricanes, crucial for safety. These systems’ responses can be significantly influenced by installation parameters such as wire sag and tension, which vary across intersections. The goal of this research was to better understand how these factors impact the system’s wind response. To achieve this, an experimental program was developed to measure the effects of catenary cable sag, messenger cable pretension, and the location of cable end supports using load cells, accelerometers, and inclinometers. These data were then used to calibrate numerical models to assess the system’s response with more refined setup parameter modifications. Experimental results showed a strong correlation between installation parameters and the system’s performance under wind loading. For instance, increasing the value of catenary sag (from 5% to 7%) reduced drag forces and the root mean square (RMS) of accelerations, giving the system a more advantageous aerodynamic response to wind forces. Numerical models for long- and short-span-with-springs models were developed to quantify and evaluate span-wire assemblies, comparing them with full-scale experimental results. First, long- and short-span-with-springs model results (i.e., total mean drag, total mean lift forces, mean inclinations, and wire deflections) were compared and were similar. This proved that the short-span-with-springs model can be used to get comparable results to long spans. The short-span with-springs model can simulate various span lengths found in the field by adjusting the longitudinal spring stiffness that corresponds to a particular lateral flexibility, normal to the plane of cables. In addition, results obtained experimentally from long- and short-span full-scale assemblies were compared to each other and to their corresponding model results and were similar as well. Similarly, the short-span full-scale assembly was installed with coil springs at both ends of the catenary and messenger cables. This facilitated the simulation of various span lengths by attaining the same lateral stiffness properties of span lengths found in the field. Comparison of experimental and model results served as a validation for the numerical models. These models helped to assess forces, inclinations, and wire deflections undergone by span-wire systems. A theoretical buffeting analysis of a span-wire traffic signal system was also performed. This analysis evaluated the signal assembly’s response to fluctuating wind speeds, providing RMS, mean, and peak values for acceleration and deflection in the along-wind direction. This analysis was conducted for a one 5-section and two 3-section configuration span-wire traffic signal assembly and carried out for winds that are perpendicular to the frontal area of the traffic signal system. The mass and frontal area of this system was taken as one lump mass and area. These analytical results were compared to the full-scale experimental data, providing a good agreement between experimental results and numerically obtained estimations. However, there were some deviations between analytical and experimental results. For instance, experimental values for rms of acceleration and deflection are a bit lower than the analytical values in the lower wind speeds. This is because some cross-wind response took place at lower wind speeds during testing of the assembly which decreased some response in the along-wind direction. Buffeting analysis does not reproduce the effect of cross-wind response.]]></description>
      </item><item>
        <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fbuil.2025.1498984</guid>
        <link>https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fbuil.2025.1498984</link>
        <title><![CDATA[Examination of wind speed based on field measurements on a low-rise building]]></title>
        <pubdate>2025-03-04T00:00:00Z</pubdate>
        <category>Original Research</category>
        <author>Shuoqi Wang</author><author>Dorothy A. Reed</author><author>Greg Lyman</author><author>Johnny Estephan</author><author>Peter Irwin</author><author>Arindam Chowdhury</author>
        <description><![CDATA[Mean and peak wind speeds, as well as gust factors, integral scales, and intensity of turbulence values, are essential in formulating wind loading standards for structures. In recent years, the characterization of rooftop wind speeds has become more important when designing photovoltaic arrays. As part of an investigation into the wind loading and structural behavior of pedestal mounted photovoltaic arrays, wind speeds at two elevations were investigated through an analysis of field measurements performed at the Central Washington University campus in Ellensburg, Washington. Specifically, two roof-mounted R.M. Young ultrasonic anemometers were employed in the data collection project: one located at 21.9 m [72 ft] above ground, and the other, closer to a pedestal-mounted photovoltaic array, at 12.5 m [41 ft] above ground. The wind speeds measured by the 21.9 m elevation anemometer were examined with a view to ascertaining that they are not significantly affected by the Central Washington building sited near its location. This paper focuses on the examination of the wind speeds only. Results showed that the wind speeds measured by the 12.5 m elevation anemometer are significantly affected by the presence of the building and that significant resonant effects are induced for the photovoltaic panels. The results of this work make it possible to adopt Japanese structural design practice wherein the design is performed for wind effects induced by 10-min, rather than by 60-min wind speeds as in current U.S. practice, thereby significantly reducing computation times. The results presented in this work also allow for the rigorous determination of 10-min speeds as functions of peak 3-s gusts. Estimates of integral scales of turbulence were shown to be characterized by large uncertainties, on the basis of which it is possible to obtain coefficients of variation required for determining the magnitude of wind load factors used in practice.]]></description>
      </item><item>
        <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fbuil.2025.1543800</guid>
        <link>https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fbuil.2025.1543800</link>
        <title><![CDATA[State-of-the-art review on reducing residential buildings’ risk to tornado hazards]]></title>
        <pubdate>2025-02-28T00:00:00Z</pubdate>
        <category>Review</category>
        <author>Afeez A. Badmus</author><author>Elaina J. Sutley</author>
        <description><![CDATA[Tornadoes represent one of the most formidable natural hazards in the United States. Despite their frequent occurrence, they have received limited yet growing attention in engineering research and practice. Recent updates to the American Society of Civil Engineers/Structural Engineering Institute (ASCE/SEI 7-22) standards, incorporated into the 2024 International Building Code, mandate that Risk Category III and IV buildings in tornado-prone areas be designed to withstand tornado loads for the first time. Annually, over 1250 tornadoes are reported in the U.S., and post-disaster evaluations consistently reveal that residential buildings, including single-family, multi-family, and manufactured homes, account for two-thirds of the structural damage caused by tornadoes and most tornado-related deaths. However, these homes are not currently covered under the new provisions, leaving them vulnerable. This study reviews the research on mitigating tornado risk to residential buildings from a structural engineering perspective, including coverage on tornado formation, impact analysis and proposed mitigation strategies examined through numerical, experimental, and post-tornado field studies. Finally, the review covers community-level analyses and tornado resilience modeling using fragility methodology that supports risk-informed decision-making. Key findings reveal that current building codes and standards inadequately address tornado-specific loads, particularly for risk category II wood-frame structures. Additionally, this review highlights the need for improved fragility models that account for the unique characteristics of tornado forces, as well as enhanced mitigation strategies such as roof-to-wall connections and debris-resistant designs. These findings underscore the urgency of adopting tornado-resilient provisions in building codes and standards to reduce damage and fatalities in tornado-prone regions.]]></description>
      </item><item>
        <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fbuil.2024.1514523</guid>
        <link>https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fbuil.2024.1514523</link>
        <title><![CDATA[Wind load impact on tall building facades: damage observations during severe wind events and wind tunnel testing]]></title>
        <pubdate>2025-02-21T00:00:00Z</pubdate>
        <category>Original Research</category>
        <author>Omar Metwally</author><author>Haitham A. Ibrahim</author><author>Amal Elawady</author><author>Ioannis Zisis</author><author>Arindam Gan Chowdhury</author>
        <description><![CDATA[As global urbanization accelerates, the construction of tall buildings has surged, becoming a defining feature of modern cityscapes. Tall buildings, while contributing to economic growth and urban development, face substantial risks from extreme wind events, such as hurricanes and downbursts. This study provides a comprehensive evaluation of the performance of tall building facades under severe wind conditions, with a focus on recent events that impacted the Gulf Coast of the United States, specifically in Houston, during May to July 2024, including a powerful derecho and Hurricane Beryl. Through extensive damage assessments of various tall buildings, this research highlights the different damages observed from these wind events, revealing critical vulnerabilities in tall building façades, particularly in relation to wind channeling effects in densely built urban areas. The observed damage patterns, including extensive glass breakage and façade failures, underscore the need for a reassessment of wind effects on tall buildings to better reflect the complex interactions between wind forces and urban environments. Additionally, by integrating real-world damage observations with wind tunnel simulations carried out at the NSF NHERI Wall of Wind Experimental Facility, this research offers valuable insights into the factors that may have influenced the observed damage. In this wind tunnel testing campaign, a series of aerodynamic testing of a tall building model under both atmospheric boundary layer and downburst winds were conducted. Additionally, interference effects are tested for both types of events. The preliminary findings have shown that downburst winds can have higher negative pressures compared to atmospheric boundary layer (ABL) which needs to be further studied including several downburst events to characterize the difference between both types of winds. Also, the results indicated the need to conduct a detailed interference study to compare ABL and downburst to properly include these effects for dense urban areas.]]></description>
      </item><item>
        <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fbuil.2024.1485388</guid>
        <link>https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fbuil.2024.1485388</link>
        <title><![CDATA[Automated extraction and summarization of wind disaster data using deep learning models, with extended applications to seismic events]]></title>
        <pubdate>2024-12-12T00:00:00Z</pubdate>
        <category>Original Research</category>
        <author>Huy Pham</author><author>Monica Arul</author>
        <description><![CDATA[The United States experiences more extreme wind events than any other country due to its diverse climate and geographical features. While these events pose significant threats to society, they generate substantial data that can support researchers and disaster managers in resilience planning. This research leverages such data to develop a framework that automates the extraction and summarization of structural and community damage information from reconnaissance reports. The framework utilizes the large Bidirectional and Auto-Regressive Transformers model (BART-large), a deep learning model fine-tuned on the Multi-Genre Natural Language Inference (MNLI) and Cable News Network (CNN) Daily Mail datasets for these tasks. Specifically, the BART-large MNLI model employs zero-shot text classification to identify sentences containing relevant impact information based on user-defined keywords, minimizing the need for fine-tuning the model on wind damage-related datasets. Subsequently, the BART-large CNN model generates comprehensive summaries from these sentences, detailing structural and community damage. The performance of the framework is assessed using reconnaissance reports published by the Structural Extreme Events Reconnaissance (StEER), part of the Natural Hazards Engineering Research Infrastructure (NHERI) network. Particularly, the initial evaluation is conducted with the 2022 Hurricane Ian report. This is followed by a verification of the BART-large MNLI model’s capability to extract impact sentences, utilizing the 2023 Hurricane Otis report. Finally, the versatility of the framework is illustrated through an extended application to the 2023 Türkiye earthquake sequences report, highlighting its adaptability across diverse disaster contexts.]]></description>
      </item><item>
        <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fbuil.2024.1428693</guid>
        <link>https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fbuil.2024.1428693</link>
        <title><![CDATA[Estimation of debris flight trajectories of roof cover from low-rise buildings]]></title>
        <pubdate>2024-12-02T00:00:00Z</pubdate>
        <category>Original Research</category>
        <author>Angela Mejorin</author><author>Gregory A. Kopp</author>
        <description><![CDATA[During windstorm events buildings can represent both wind-borne debris source and target elements. Roof cover can fail and be blown away, impacting the surrounding construction, reaching significant distances. Analytical models to calculate debris trajectories generally consider the flight to occur in uniform flow. These models are, therefore, not considering source building aerodynamics, yielding results that can be significantly overestimated. This paper defines Udebris, the equivalent uniform wind speed that leads to the analytical solutions in roof cover flight assessment that matches the available datasets that considers source building aerodynamics. To calculate Udebris, the concept of response time is introduced: t* is a parameter that physically captures the tendency of debris elements to fly with the wind gust. The identification of these times, typical for each roof cover type, leads to a selection of a gust factor, G, to account for the debris response. Roof/wake factors (FR) are also used for Udebris calculation, based on roof cover type, locations on the roof, neighborhood settings. These last factors are estimated based on t*, on the boundary layer that develops on the source building roof slope, and on considerations about turbulence effects. A Monte Carlo simulation-based approach for estimating roof cover element flight trajectories is, therefore, presented and validated against experimental datasets. The results indicate alignment with experimental observations, underscoring the potential utility of this approach for dealing with wind-borne debris issues in disaster preparedness, building technology, and structural design.]]></description>
      </item><item>
        <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fbuil.2024.1398472</guid>
        <link>https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fbuil.2024.1398472</link>
        <title><![CDATA[A framework for design wind loads on air-permeable multilayer cladding systems]]></title>
        <pubdate>2024-06-07T00:00:00Z</pubdate>
        <category>Original Research</category>
        <author>Connell S. Miller</author><author>Gregory A. Kopp</author>
        <description><![CDATA[Air-permeable multilayer cladding (vinyl siding, roof pavers, discontinuous metal roofing, solar panels, etc.) are one of the most common types of building components in North America. Their defining aerodynamic feature is that they have an air cavity separating the component from the sheathing, studs, or interior layer. Due to air-permeability, external wind loads can transfer into the air cavity between the layers. Although these cladding systems have similar geometries in many ways, design loads are not generally available for such systems. This study aims to synthesize the available literature on the pressure equalization factor, which is the proportion of external load acting on the cladding and provide a framework for design wind loads on air-permeable multilayer cladding systems. To accomplish this, the many factors that affect the pressure equalization factor, such as the gap-to-cavity-depth ratio, panel size, and exposure are discussed. Then, the pressure equalization factors from multiple studies are combined to examine the effect of effective area on the pressure equalization factor. Finally, recommendations for implementing these guidelines into design standards are provided.]]></description>
      </item><item>
        <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fbuil.2023.1200383</guid>
        <link>https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fbuil.2023.1200383</link>
        <title><![CDATA[Aerodynamic mitigation of low-rise building with complex roof geometry]]></title>
        <pubdate>2023-08-28T00:00:00Z</pubdate>
        <category>Original Research</category>
        <author>Raghdah Al-Chalabi</author><author>Ahmed Elshaer</author>
        <description><![CDATA[During strong wind events, building roofs are subjected to high wind uplift forces (suctions), which often lead to severe roofing component damage, or even roof total failure, flying debris, and water intrusion, hence, interior damages. Typical roof shapes (e.g., gable and hip) are generally designed using provision codes and standards to accurately estimate peak load impacting the roofs during wind events for design purposes. Complex roof geometry can be efficiently examined using wind tunnel testing and computational modeling to provide quantitative assessment for wind to narrow down the design alternatives and to examine the improvement gained from mitigation techniques. In this study, an isolated low-rise building with a complex roof shape is examined using large eddy simulation (LES) to numerically assess wind load prediction by validating it with wind tunnel results. This study presents two roof modification scenarios using parapets added to roof corners and ridgelines to displace the flow from the separation locations to reduce the wind impact on the roof. The current study aims to 1) evaluate wind load on an isolated low-rise building with complex roof geometry for various angles of attack and 2) mitigate the roof aerodynamically using parapets, added corners, and ridgeline to reduce the wind impact on the roof. The validation shows that both the mean and RMS of the pressure coefficients are in good agreement with the wind tunnel results. The research results suggest that parapets with 500 mm height located at the corner and edges of complex roof geometry can effectively reduce extreme corner suction by 29% and roof uplift by 5.6%.]]></description>
      </item><item>
        <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fbuil.2023.1204119</guid>
        <link>https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fbuil.2023.1204119</link>
        <title><![CDATA[Editorial: Recent advances in risk and community resilience analysis against windstorms]]></title>
        <pubdate>2023-04-19T00:00:00Z</pubdate>
        <category>Editorial</category>
        <author>Ahmed U. Abdelhady</author><author>Arthriya Subgranon</author><author>Omar M. Nofal</author>
        <description></description>
      </item><item>
        <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fbuil.2023.1005264</guid>
        <link>https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fbuil.2023.1005264</link>
        <title><![CDATA[A novel framework to study community-level social and physical impacts of hurricane-induced winds through synthetic scenario analysis]]></title>
        <pubdate>2023-02-16T00:00:00Z</pubdate>
        <category>Original Research</category>
        <author>Ram Krishna Mazumder</author><author>S. Amin Enderami</author><author>Elaina J. Sutley</author>
        <description><![CDATA[Strong hurricane winds often cause severe infrastructure damage and pose social and economic consequences in coastal communities. In the context of community resilience planning, estimating such impacts can facilitate developing more risk-informed mitigation plans in the community of interest. This study presents a new framework for synthetically simulating scenario-hurricane winds using a parametric wind field model for predicting community-level building damage, direct economic loss, and social consequences. The proposed synthetic scenario approach uses historical hurricane data and adjusts its original trajectory to create synthetic change scenarios and estimates peak gust wind speed at the location of each building. In this research, a stochastic damage simulation algorithm is applied to assess the buildings’ physical damage. The algorithm assigns a damage level to each building using the corresponding damage-based fragility functions, predicted maximum gust speed at the building’s location, and a randomly generated number. The monetary loss to the building inventory due to its physical damage is determined using FEMA’s direct loss ratios and buildings’ replacement costs considering uncertainty. To assess the social impacts of the physical damage exposure, three likely post-disaster social disruptions are measured, including household dislocation, employment disruption, and school closures. The framework is demonstrated by its application to the hurricane-prone community of Onslow County, North Carolina. The novel contribution of the developed framework, aside from the introduced approach for spatial predicting hurricane-induced wind hazards, is its ability to illuminate some aspects of the social consequences of substantial physical damages to the building inventory in a coastal community due to the hurricane-induced winds. These advancements enable community planners and decision-makers to make more risk-informed decisions for improving coastal community resilience.]]></description>
      </item><item>
        <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fbuil.2022.1029237</guid>
        <link>https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fbuil.2022.1029237</link>
        <title><![CDATA[Design of stick-framed wood roofs under tornado wind loads]]></title>
        <pubdate>2022-11-30T00:00:00Z</pubdate>
        <category>Original Research</category>
        <author>Caspar L. D. Bain</author><author>Gregory A. Kopp </author><author>Ayman M. El Ansary </author>
        <description><![CDATA[Light-frame wood construction comprises nearly 90% of the housing industry in Canada and the United States. The roofs of these houses can be constructed either entirely on site or using prefabricated trusses. Assembling the roof structure on site, otherwise known as stick-framing, is a framing technique with current code guidelines that are based on past practice and limited consideration of wind loads. This makes these roof structures susceptible to failure in high-speed wind events, such as tornadoes. This research proposes improved stick-framing guidelines that would work for EF-2 tornadoes. Using non-linear finite element analysis, a stick-framed roof was designed following the guidelines in the National Building Code of Canada. Non-linear links were used to model all of the connections between the members in the roof structure, with frame elements used to represent the members. Increasing wind loads were applied to the structure and the first elements of the roof that failed were improved using an iterative performance-based design approach until the performance target of resistance to EF-2 tornadoes was achieved. The failure of the roof-to-wall-connections and the lack of members used in the framing were the two main issues highlighted and addressed. Damage survey photos were used to compare failures observed in the model with failures after real tornado events, which demonstrate many similar failure modes. The research recommends the requirements to ensure stick-framed roofs can withstand EF-2 tornadoes. Most notable is an improved gable end frame, which gives the structure more roof-to-wall connections, as well as a more structurally sound frame where the loads are the highest. Other additions include struts, hurricane ties at all roof-to-wall connection locations and increased number of nails in various connections throughout the repeating inner frames. Minimum member sizes and qualities for each type of member used in the roof structure are also recommended.]]></description>
      </item><item>
        <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fbuil.2022.1015804</guid>
        <link>https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fbuil.2022.1015804</link>
        <title><![CDATA[A case study and parametric analysis of predicting hurricane-induced building damage using data-driven machine learning approach]]></title>
        <pubdate>2022-11-09T00:00:00Z</pubdate>
        <category>Original Research</category>
        <author>Steven Klepac</author><author>Arthriya Subgranon</author><author>Maitane Olabarrieta</author>
        <description><![CDATA[As coastal populations increase every year, greater numbers of people and buildings to support them are left vulnerable to severe hazards associated with hurricanes, which have shown signs of increasing strength and frequency related to climate change. Community-level decision making is essential to adequately prepare populations for the risks associated with imminent hurricanes and to adapt buildings to be more resilient. This creates a need for state-of-the-art methods such as data-driven machine learning to predict the damage that buildings will experience during hurricanes and support decisions for community stakeholders. Previous research has attempted to proactively forecast hurricane damage using numerical frameworks for individual building archetypes or by incorporating a narrow spectrum of input features. The focus of this study is a novel machine learning framework trained on building, hazard, and geospatial data to hindcast damage from Hurricanes Harvey, Irma, Michael, and Laura, with the objective of forecasting expected damage from future hurricanes. Performance of different algorithms were investigated including k-nearest neighbors, decision tree, random forest, and gradient boosting trees algorithms. In predicting qualitative damage states, random forest outperforms other algorithms with 76% accuracy in the hindcast. Parametric studies identify which features contribute the most to accurate predictions and demonstrate that prediction accuracy increases linearly for this case study with additional reconnaissance data to train the model. Finally, a comparison is drawn between this model and the ability of Federal Emergency Management Agency’s Hazus Multi-Hazard Hurricane Model to estimate building-specific damage on the same hindcast set of buildings.]]></description>
      </item><item>
        <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fbuil.2022.1018207</guid>
        <link>https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fbuil.2022.1018207</link>
        <title><![CDATA[The influence of ASCE 7–16 wind load provisions on a vulnerability model of Florida residential construction]]></title>
        <pubdate>2022-11-02T00:00:00Z</pubdate>
        <category>Original Research</category>
        <author>Christian Bedwell</author><author>Kurtis Gurley</author><author>Jean-Paul Pinelli</author><author>Roberto Vicente Silva de Abreu</author>
        <description><![CDATA[The Florida Public Hurricane Loss Model is a probabilistic risk model designed to estimate wind induced insurance losses to residential infrastructure in Florida. In the physical damage estimation module, Monte Carlo simulation is employed to generate damage matrices as a function of wind speed by comparing probabilistic building component capacities to wind loads. These damage matrices are input to a repair cost algorithm, ultimately producing damage ratios as a function of wind speed for different building classes. It is required that the inventory of residential building models reflect the history of construction practice within Florida. Differing eras of construction are represented by developing component-wise options for probabilistic capacities and load paths, resulting in a suite of hundreds of model variants. Regarding loads, the probabilistic wind load model is based on a directionalized adaptation of ASCE 7, and its representation in the model is kept current with the version adopted by the Florida Building Code (FBC). In 2020 the Florida Building Code adopted by reference ASCE 7–16, which contains important changes to the wind-load provisions. These changes have implications for both the loading and resistance aspects of the physical damage model, thus influencing insured loss projections. This study discusses the development and implementation of these changes within the model and investigates the impacts on the modeled vulnerability of residential structures in Florida. Comparing vulnerability estimates of structures designed before and after the FBC adoption of ASCE 7–16 provide insight into the potential effectiveness of such changes to improve community resilience.]]></description>
      </item><item>
        <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fbuil.2022.915209</guid>
        <link>https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fbuil.2022.915209</link>
        <title><![CDATA[BIM-GIS integration approach for high-fidelity wind hazard modeling at the community-level]]></title>
        <pubdate>2022-11-02T00:00:00Z</pubdate>
        <category>Original Research</category>
        <author>Omar M. Nofal</author><author>John W. van de Lind</author><author>Ahmed Zakzouk</author>
        <description><![CDATA[Wind hazards often result in significant damage to the built environment cascading into impacts on the socio-economic systems within a community. The increasing frequency and intensity of hurricane hazards highlight the importance of developing high-resolution wind hazard models to better predict the consequences. Although previous studies have investigated hurricane-induced wind hazards in terms of hazard modeling and the subsequent vulnerability of buildings and infrastructure, these studies have not yet investigated applications of computational fluid dynamics (CFD) at the community-level. Therefore, in this study, a novel approach was developed to generate CFD models at the community-level by integrating building information modeling (BIM) and geographical information systems (GIS) to automate the generation of a high-resolution 3-D community model to be used as an input for a digital wind tunnel. This was done by harnessing the current advances in BIM and GIS applications and maximizing their capabilities by developing an algorithm that automates the 3-D geometry generation of communities with a detailed discretization of each building within the community. The 3-D community model was developed using the GIS shapefile of the buildings’ footprint and a parametric BIM model that uses a number of building parameters such as footprint dimensions, roof shape, foundation type, and the number of stories. Then, an algorithm was developed to automate the creation of the BIM model for each building within the community based on the prescribed building’s characteristics. The developed community model was used as an input for a numerical wind tunnel that uses CFD to account for the detailed wind pressure at each building after including the impacts of aerodynamics interference at the community-level. This novel BIM-GIS integration approach provides, for the first time, the next generation of high-resolution community-level CFD wind hazard modeling which aims to shift the current practice of wind hazard simulation at the community-level.]]></description>
      </item><item>
        <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fbuil.2022.980617</guid>
        <link>https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fbuil.2022.980617</link>
        <title><![CDATA[Examination of different wall jet and impinging jet concepts to produce large-scale downburst outflow]]></title>
        <pubdate>2022-09-27T00:00:00Z</pubdate>
        <category>Original Research</category>
        <author>Alvaro Danilo Mejia</author><author>Amal Elawady</author><author>Krishna Sai Vutukuru</author><author>Dejiang Chen</author><author>Arindam Gan Chowdhury</author>
        <description><![CDATA[Thunderstorm downburst winds are a major cause of severe damage to buildings and other infrastructure. The initiative of the NSF-NHERI Wall of Wind (WOW) Experimental Facility to design and develop a downburst simulator was established to open new horizons for multi-hazard engineering research by extending the current capabilities of the facility to enable the simulation of non-synoptic winds. Five different downburst simulator designs have been tested in the 1:15 small-scale replica of the WOW to identify the optimal design. The design concepts tested herein considered both the 2-D impinging jet and the 2-D wall jet simulation methods. The basic design methodology consists of transforming the available atmospheric boundary layer (ABL) wind simulator into downburst winds by adding an external modification device to the exit of the flow management box. A flow characterization comparison among the five contending downburst simulators, along with comparisons to real downbursts and previous literature findings, has been conducted. The study on the effect of surface roughness length on the height of the peak wind velocity showed that the implementation of a 2-D plane wall jet enables large-scale outflows (higher peak velocity height) with high Reynold numbers, which is advantageous in terms of reducing scaling effects. In general, the current research work showed that four downburst simulation methods were suitable for adoption; however, only one downburst simulator was recommended based on the feasibility of construction in the facility. The chosen downburst simulator consisted of a two louver slat system near the bottom, with a blockage at the top. This configuration enables producing a large rolling vortex passing through the testing section, which would serve adequately in the further study of turbulent flow characterization and testing of larger scale test models.]]></description>
      </item><item>
        <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fbuil.2022.899332</guid>
        <link>https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fbuil.2022.899332</link>
        <title><![CDATA[Towards automatic reconstruction of 3D city models tailored for urban flow simulations]]></title>
        <pubdate>2022-08-30T00:00:00Z</pubdate>
        <category>Original Research</category>
        <author>Ivan Pađen</author><author>Clara García-Sánchez</author><author>Hugo Ledoux</author>
        <description><![CDATA[In the computational fluid dynamics simulation workflow, the geometry preparation step is often regarded as a tedious, time-consuming task. Many practitioners consider it one of the main bottlenecks in the simulation process. The more complex the geometry, the longer the necessary work, meaning this issue is amplified for urban flow simulations that cover large areas with complex building geometries. To address the issue of geometry preparation, we propose a workflow for automatically reconstructing simulation-ready 3D city models. The workflow combines 2D geographical datasets (e.g., cadastral data, topographic datasets) and aerial point cloud-based elevation data to reconstruct terrain, buildings, and imprint surface layers like water, low vegetation, and roads. Imprinted surface layers serve as different roughness surfaces for modeling the atmospheric boundary layer. Furthermore, the workflow is capable of automatically defining the influence region and domain size according to best practice guidelines. The resulting geometry aims to be error-free: without gaps, self-intersections, and non-manifold edges. The workflow was implemented into an open-source framework using modern, robust, and state-of-the-art libraries with the intent to be used for further developments. Our approach limits the geometry generation step to the order of hours (including input data retrieval and preparation), producing geometries that can be directly used for computational grid generation without additional preparation. The reconstruction done by the algorithm can last from a few seconds to a few minutes, depending on the size of the input data. We obtained and prepared the input data for our verification study in about 2 hours, while the reconstruction process lasted 1 minute. The unstructured computational meshes we created in an automatic mesh generator show satisfactory quality indicators and the subsequent numerical simulation exhibits good convergence behavior with the grid convergence index of observed variables less than 5%.]]></description>
      </item><item>
        <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fbuil.2022.858067</guid>
        <link>https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fbuil.2022.858067</link>
        <title><![CDATA[Pedestrian Wind Comfort Assessment Using Computational Fluid Dynamics Simulations With Varying Number of Wind Directions]]></title>
        <pubdate>2022-07-05T00:00:00Z</pubdate>
        <category>Original Research</category>
        <author>Trond-Ola Hågbo</author><author>Knut Erik Teigen Giljarhus</author>
        <description><![CDATA[The construction of a building inevitably changes the microclimate in its vicinity. Many city authorities request comprehensive wind studies before granting a building permit, which can be obtained through Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) simulations. Investigating the wind conditions for 12 wind directions has previously been considered sufficient in most literature and the industry. However, the effect of changing the number of simulated wind directions is still not well understood. This article investigates the influence of the number of simulated wind directions on pedestrian wind comfort maps. A neighborhood in Niigata city, Japan, was chosen as a case study. Simulations are performed in OpenFOAM using a Reynolds-averaged Navier-Stokes model and the realizable k-ϵ turbulence model. The inlet profiles form a homogeneous atmospheric boundary layer with neutral stratified conditions and a logarithmic velocity profile. The pedestrian wind comfort maps are converging toward a final map as more wind directions are included. The area of the maps classified with the same comfort as using 64 wind directions is 79% using 4 wind directions, 92% using 8 wind directions, 96% using 16 wind directions, and 99% using 32 wind directions. A greater understanding of the influence of the number of simulated wind directions included may enable more efficient pedestrian wind comfort studies that recognize the associated uncertainties.]]></description>
      </item><item>
        <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fbuil.2022.911005</guid>
        <link>https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fbuil.2022.911005</link>
        <title><![CDATA[Large-Eddy Simulations of Wind-Driven Cross Ventilation, Part1: Validation and Sensitivity Study]]></title>
        <pubdate>2022-06-30T00:00:00Z</pubdate>
        <category>Original Research</category>
        <author>Yunjae Hwang </author><author>Catherine Gorlé</author>
        <description><![CDATA[Natural ventilation is gaining popularity in response to an increasing demand for a sustainable and healthy built environment, but the design of a naturally ventilated building can be challenging due to the inherent variability in the operating conditions that determine the natural ventilation flow. Large-eddy simulations (LES) have significant potential as an analysis method for natural ventilation flow, since they can provide an accurate prediction of turbulent flow at any location in the computational domain. However, the simulations can be computationally expensive, and few validation and sensitivity studies with respect to simulation parameters such as grid resolution and boundary conditions have been reported. The objectives of this study are to validate LES of wind-driven cross-ventilation and to quantify the sensitivity of the solution to the grid resolution and the inflow boundary conditions. We perform LES for an isolated building with two openings, using three different grid resolutions and two different inflow conditions with varying turbulence intensities. Predictions of the ventilation rate are compared to a reference wind-tunnel experiment available from literature, and we also quantify the age of air and ventilation efficiency. For the cross-ventilation case modeled in this paper, the prediction of the mean ventilation flow rate is very robust, showing negligible sensitivity to the grid resolution or the inflow characteristics with the maximum error of 1.9 and 1.3% for each sensitivity study. However, a sufficiently fine grid resolution is required to obtain accurate predictions of the detailed flow pattern and the age of air as they show comparably larger errors of 10 and 20% in the grid sensitivity study, and the standard deviation of the instantaneous ventilation rate is affected by the turbulence in the inflow condition with showing 44% difference.]]></description>
      </item><item>
        <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fbuil.2022.911253</guid>
        <link>https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fbuil.2022.911253</link>
        <title><![CDATA[Large-Eddy Simulations of Wind-Driven Cross Ventilation, Part 2: Comparison of Ventilation Performance Under Different Ventilation Configurations]]></title>
        <pubdate>2022-06-30T00:00:00Z</pubdate>
        <category>Original Research</category>
        <author>Yunjae Hwang</author><author>Catherine Gorlé</author>
        <description><![CDATA[Natural ventilation can contribute to a sustainable and healthy built environment, but the flow can be highly dependent on the ventilation configuration and the outdoor turbulent wind conditions. As a result, quantifying natural ventilation flow rates can be a challenging task. Wind tunnel experiments offer one approach for studying natural ventilation, but measurements are often restricted to a few points or planes in the building, and the data can have limitations due to the intrusive nature of measurement techniques or due to challenges with optical access. Large-eddy simulations (LES) can offer an effective alternative for analyzing natural ventilation flow, since they can provide a precise prediction of turbulent flow at any point in the computational domain and enable accurate estimates of different ventilation measures. The objective of this study is to use a validated LES set-up to investigate the effect of the opening size, opening location and wind direction on the ventilation flow through an isolated building. The effects are quantified in terms of time-averaged and instantaneous ventilation flow rates, age of air, and ventilation efficiency. The LES results indicate that, for this isolated building case, the effect of the wind direction is more pronounced than the effect of the size and position of the ventilation openings. Importantly, when ventilation is primarily driven by turbulent fluctuations, e.g. for the 90° wind direction, an accurate estimation of the ventilation rate requires knowledge of the instantaneous velocity field.]]></description>
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