Computational and wind tunnel studies of shelterbelts for reduction of wind flow and wind-induced loads on low-rise buildings

Abstract

<p>Numerical and experimental tests were done to determine the optimum design parameters of a shelterbelt for wind damage mitigation to structures behind the shelterbelt. The Wang and Takle shelterbelt numerical model was used to study the shelterbelt's cross-sectional shape, height, spacing/line tightness, density/density distribution, line width, number of lines, and wind speed parameters. The numerical model was also used to study the effectiveness of more realistically shaped shelterbelt tree lines, rather than using the traditional blocks to represent each line of trees in the shelterbelt. Finally, experiments were conducted in a wind tunnel to test the effects of wind-induced load reduction with the implementation of a shelterbelt screen, studying forces rather than flow fields.</p>