Conceptual Reference Database for Building Envelope Research Prev
Next

Wind-driven rain distributions on two buildings

Karagiozis, A., Hadjisophocleous, G. and Cao,S
1997
Journal of Wind Engineering and Industrial Aerodynamics, Volumes 67-68, Pages 559-572
Wind flow; Rain; Moisture transport; High-rise buildings; Multiple-building wind simulations; Wind driven rain; Numerical modeling

Karagiozis, A., Hadjisophocleous, G. and Cao,S, (1997), "Wind-driven rain distributions on two buildings", Journal of Wind Engineering and Industrial Aerodynamics, Volumes 67-68, Pages 559-572.
Abstract:
Wind-driven rain is an important consideration in the hygrothermal performance of building envelope parts. Wind-driven rain (in liquid form) can increase the amount of moisture present in the structure by more than 100 times that due to vapor diffusion. To date, very little work that provides field or laboratory wind driven rain data to moisture transport models is available. This information is a definite requirement as a boundary condition by the more sophisticated hygrothermal models such as LATENITE and WUFIZ which consider both vapor and liquid moisture flows. In this paper, the wind driven rain striking the exterior facade of two buildings (one twice the size of the other) is generated using a three-dimensional computational fluid dynamics (CFD) model that solves the air flow and particle tracking of the rain droplets around these two buildings. These simulations were carried out for a city center region. Four factors which govern wind-driven rain are investigated in this work: (a) upstream unobstructed wind conditions, (b) the rainfall intensity, (c) the probability distribution of raindrop sizes, and (d) the local flow patterns around the building. All four of these governing factors make wind-driven rain on a building facade very distinct. Simulations were carried out for three wind speeds of 5, 10 and 25 m/s, three rainfall intensities of 10, 25 and 50 mm/h and three wind directions 0กใ, 30กใ and 45กใ from the west face of the buildings. In this paper, only the results of the 0กใ wind direction are discussed. The results show distinct wetting patterns on the top of the building of both the two buildings which is most concentrated at the corners when the wind was normal to the facade surface. For the tallest building a distinct wetting pattern is displayed in the mid-height of the building. This information from wind engineering is directly employed for the design of building envelope moisture control. Results on a series of simulations are presented to demonstrate the effect of wind conditions, rain intensities, the interaction between the two buildings, and the droplet sizes on the wetting patterns on the faces of the short and tall building.
Related Resources:

Related Concepts

Author Information and Other Publications Notes
Karagiozis, A.
Achilles N. Karagiozis, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Building Technology Center, Oak Ridge
  1. A North American research approach to moisture design by modeling
  2. Advanced hygrothermal modeling of building materials using MOISTURE-EXPERT 1.0
  3. Advanced hygrothermal models and design models
  4. An educational hygrothermal model: WUFI-ORNL/IBP
  5. Applied moisture engineering
  6. Barrier EIFS clad walls: Results from a moisture engineering study
  7. Boundary element analysis of uncoupled quasi-static hygrothermoelasticity for two-dimensional composite walls
  8. Building enclosure hygrothermal performance study phase I
  9. Drying capabilities of wood frame walls with wood siding
  10. EIFS hygrothermal performance due to initial construction moisture as a function of air leakage, interior cavity insulation, and climate conditions
  11. Hygrothermal system-performance of a whole building
  12. Importance of moisture control in building performance
  13. Influence of material properties on the hygrothermal performance of a high-rise residential wall
  14. Integrated approaches for moisture analysis
  15. Integrated hygrothermal performance of building envelopes and systems
  16. Measurements and two-dimensional computer simulations of the hygrothermal performance of a wood frame wall
  17. Moisture transport in building envelopes using an approximate factorization solution method
  18. Position paper on material characterization and HAM model benchmarking
  19. Simulation of indoor temperature and humidity conditions including hygrothermal interactions with the building envelope
  20. WUFI-ORNL/IBP - A North American Hygrothermal Mode  
Hadjisophocleous, G.
     
Cao, S.
     


CRDBER, at CBS, BCEE, ENCS, Concordia,