Characteristics of wind forces and responses of rectangular tall buildings

This paper presents the results of wind tunnel tests on rectangular building models having the same plan area and height but different side ratios of 1, 1.56, 2.25, 3.06 and 4. The models were made from perspex sheet at a geometrical scale of 1:300. The wind pressure coefficients on all the models were evaluated from pressure records measured in a closed circuit wind tunnel under boundary layer flow for wind directions of 0 to 90 at an interval of 15. The mean responses of rectangular tall buildings having different side ratios were also evaluated from the experimentally obtained wind loads. Effectiveness of side ratio of buildings in changing the surface pressure distribution and mean responses of prototype buildings is assessed for wind directions of 0 to 90 at an interval of 15. It is observed that the side ratio of buildings significantly affects the wind pressures on leeward and sidewalls, whereas wind pressure on windward wall is almost independent of side ratio. Further, the wind incidence angles and side ratio of the buildings significantly affect its mean displacements as well as torque.