WIND INTERFERENCE EFFECTS BETWEEN TWO PRISMATIC BUILDINGS

Abstract

A general characteristics of modern building design is to construct light weight structures. This feature produces an increased vulnerability to wind damages. The estimation of any type of load is irnportant for economic design of a structure. Overestimating loads result in uneconomical deSigns and underestimating may result in failures. Hence it is necessary to estimate the loads accurately. Wind load estimation is done by using codes or standards, which are based on wind tunnel tests of isolated structures. However, wind forces get modified by the presence of nearby structures which can produce beneficial shielding or adverse increase in loading. It is, therefore, necessary to identify the situations of adverse loadings so that they can be treated accordingly. The wind interference effects caused due to grouping of structures depend on many parameters, such as distance between structures, their heights, relative positions and wind characteristics etc. Attention has increasingly been given to wind interference effects of structures in last few years and many adverse loading situations have been observed, but the studies made are not enough to form a straight-forward tool for the designers. In the present study the interference effect between two prismatic buildings is studied. The various parameters involved are varied and mean wind pressures, forces and moments on the building are observed. It is seen that mean-force and torsional moment coefficients get increased due to the presence of nearby building in most of the cases.