ERIES-TRANSWindS

2025 - 2026

Wind Eng.

Stefano Brusco

Ali Berk Can Yildirim

Tsinuel Nurilligne Geleta

Rigoberto Morales Hernández

Yingzhu Meng

Mohammad Amir Neshat

+5 more

2025 - 2026

Wind Eng.

TRansient Aerodynamics induced by Non-Synoptic Winds on Structures

ERIES-TRANSWindS

Wind loads

Wind pressures

Aerodynamic forces

Urban model

Isolated model

Dataset Description

This dataset, documented in the present archive, was developed within the ERIES Project TRANSWindS, This project aimed at investigating the effects of transient non-synoptic winds on the aerodynamics of structures, with particular focus on low-rise buildings. Effects typical of transient non-synoptic winds were reproduced by means of an active multi-blade grid installed upstream of the test section of the wind tunnel. Different levels of flow acceleration were generated by calibrating the blade rotations according to four distinct operating set-ups. The dataset comprises measured data and results from profiling measurements, together with static wind tunnel tests conducted on rigid building models during Autumn 2025 at the Giovanni Solari Wind Tunnel of the University of Genoa.

As concerns the profiling measurements, wind velocity data were acquired simultaneously at different heights by means of a rack of pressure probes. Simultaneously, ground pressure measurements were collected to investigate the effects of transient non-synoptic winds on the static pressure within the test chamber.

The static wind tunnel tests on rigid models consist of pressure measurements acquired from surface pressure taps uniformly distributed over two different buildings, tested separately under transient non-synoptic wind conditions. The first building is a 1:50 scale replica of the Texas Tech University Wind Engineering Research Field Laboratory (TTU WERFL), hereinafter referred to as Test Building 1 (TB1). The second building, referred to as Test Building 2 (TB2), represents a masonry construction typical of the European urban fabric.

The pressure measurements allow the estimation of both localized pressure variations, relevant for the design of cladding elements, and time-varying global force coefficients. The dataset also enables the investigation of the effects associated with different levels of flow acceleration induced by transient non-synoptic winds. During these tests, the dynamic pressure was simultaneously measured by means of a Pitot-static tube installed in proximity to the building models.

Wind Engineering

Non-synoptic winds

Accelerated flow

Bluff-body aerodynamics

Low-rise buildings

Experimental techniques

Specimens

1. Inflow conditions

The wind tunnel configuration did not include spires or roughness elements, resulting in a smooth-flow set-up. An active multi-blade grid system was installed 2 m upstream of the building test section.

The active grid consists of four independently controlled rotating blades designed to redirect the incoming flow through coordinated motion. Each blade rapidly rotates to predefined angles and subsequently returns to its initial position, thereby generating short-duration fluctuations in wind velocity and introducing transient characteristics into the flow.

The blades are manufactured from carbon fiber and incorporate a core structure spanning the lateral section of the wind tunnel, which is 1.7 m wide. Each blade has a width of 48.5 cm and is mounted on two steel frames acting as lateral supports. These frames also house the driving modules, which are operated through independent signal channels integrated within the control system.

The vertical profiles are measured using a pressure measurement rack specifically designed to be taller than the models to be tested; its configuration and characteristics are described in detail in the experimental section.

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1. Simulation of stationary wind velocity profiles

Stationary wind velocity profiles were simulated by maintaining the blades in fixed static positions. Among the various profiles generated during the study and design phase of the experimental campaign, two were selected for this investigation, namely “P1” and “P15". For profile “P1”, the four blades (labelled 1 to 4 from bottom to top) were all positioned horizontally, corresponding to blade rotation angles relative to the horizontal direction equal to φ_1=φ_2=φ_3=φ_4= 0 degree. For the second profile, “P15”, each blade was assigned a different inclination angle, φ_1= 60 degree, φ_2= 40 degree, φ_3= 20 degree, and φ_4= 0 degree.

It is noted that the turbulent properties of this set-up are characterized by levels of longitudinal turbulence intensity that are lower than those typical of Atmospheric Boundary Layer (ABL) winds, reflecting the absence of roughness blocks and spire elements. Nonetheless, they are representative of reference stationary conditions for the structure, before the passage of a transient non-synoptic storm.

Instrumentation

Pressure scanners were connected to the measurement locations through Tygon tubes. In particular:

- As concern ground pressure measurements, 25 pressure taps were installed on the floor in a square matrix arrangement (5 × 5). The area covered by the measurement grid was designed to exceed the plan dimensions of all building models tested in the subsequent phases, thereby enabling the interpolation of representative static pressure variations at the pressure tap locations of the buildings. The locations of the ground pressure taps are reported in “GroundPressures_EmptyTestSection.pdf” (see Inflow Conditions).

- As concern vertical profiling measurements, 12 pressure taps were mounted on a vertical rack whose total height encompassed the heights of all building models tested in the subsequent phases. The heights of the pressure taps are reported in “VelocityMeasurementsHeight_TestSection.pdf” (see Inflow Conditions).

- As concern static pressure measurements in the wind tunnel, additional pressure taps were installed on the walls of the test section used for the building experiments, corresponding to the conventional test section employed for Atmospheric Boundary Layer wind simulations. Similarly, pressure taps located on the walls of another test section of the Giovanni Solari Wind Tunnel, specifically the section commonly used for dynamic testing of sectional bridge models, were connected to the pressure scanners to provide estimates of the corresponding static pressure.

- Total and static pressure measurements were acquired by means of a Pitot-static tube installed near the ceiling of the same test section where the other wind velocity measurements were performed.

All measurements were acquired simultaneously. Therefore, the presence of the vertical rack may have introduced local interference effects on the nearby ground pressure measurements.

The last environmental measurement that was taken concerned the temperature, and that is reported as a mean value in the data.

2. Simulation of transient wind velocity profiles

Transient wind velocity profiles were generated by suddenly changing the positions of the four blades, specifically by transitioning from profile “P1” to profile “P15”, and vice versa. These transitions were performed using four different temporal scales, namely 0.5, 1.0, 3.0, and 7.0 seconds, thereby reproducing gust events characterized by different durations.

It should be noted that the same transition duration was adopted for both the “P1” to “P15” and the reverse “P15” to “P1” transitions. Furthermore, the nominal time interval between one transition and the subsequent reverse transition was consistently fixed at 0.5 seconds.

MP4

Instrumentation

Same as "Simulation of stationary wind velocity profiles"

2. Model TB1 - Texas Tech University Wind Engineering Research Field Laboratory

The purpose of this specimen was to investigate the aerodynamic response of TB1 (Test Building 1) under transient non-synoptic wind conditions in an isolated configuration. At a geometric scale of 1:50, TB1 is characterized by a rectangular plan with side dimensions equal to 183 mm and 275 mm. The eave height is 78 mm, while the maximum roof height is 80 mm.

A Pitot-static tube was installed with its measurement tip positioned near the windward wall, at a height equal to twice the building height above the ground.

1. HFPI (High-Frequency Pressure Integration) tests of TB1 in isolation

TB1 has been tested in isolation, for 3 different orientations (0, 45 and 90 degrees), and for 4 different levels of acceleration of the transient non-synoptic winds.

MP4

pdf

Instrumentation

Pressure scanners were connected to the measurement locations through Tygon tubes. In particular:

- 204 pressure taps were installed on the surfaces on the building in a quite uniform pattern, covering roof and walls. Pressure taps coordinate are available in the file “TB1_TapNo.mat” (see on the related Zenodo repository), and they are also illustrated in the file “TB1_H1_TappingScheme.pdf”.

- Additional pressure taps were installed on the walls of the test section used for the building experiments, corresponding to the conventional test section employed for Atmospheric Boundary Layer wind simulations. These measurements provided estimates of the static pressure within the test section. Similarly, pressure taps located on the walls of another test section of the Giovanni Solari Wind Tunnel, specifically the section commonly used for dynamic testing of sectional bridge models, were connected to the pressure scanners to provide estimates of the corresponding static pressure.

- Total and static pressure measurements were acquired by means of two Pitot-static tubes; the first one was installed near the ceiling of the same test section, similarly to the experiments conducted in absence of the building; the second one was installed at a height equal to twice the building height above the ground (i.e., 160 mm), with its measurement tip positioned near the windward wall.

All measurements were acquired simultaneously.

The last environmental measurement that was taken concerned the temperature, and that is reported as a mean value in the data.

2. PIV (Particle Image Velocimetry) of TB1

TB1 has been tested in isolation, for a single orientation (90 degrees), and for 3 different levels of acceleration of the transient non-synoptic winds (namely 0.5, 1.0, and 3.0 seconds, of gust events).

MOV

Instrumentation

The measurement system consisted of a smoke generator for flow seeding, a laser light sheet for flow-plane illumination, and a high-speed camera system (Dantec Dynamics) for image acquisition.

PIV (Particle Image Velocimetry) is a non-intrusive optical measurement technique used to visualize and quantify fluid velocity fields by tracking the motion of tracer particles seeded within the flow. The measurement plane is illuminated by a laser light sheet, while consecutive images acquired by a high-speed camera are processed to determine particle displacements between laser pulses and, consequently, the instantaneous velocity vectors.

The PIV setup in the wind tunnel employed a Litron LDY-300 PIV laser system, equipped with a guiding arm, positioned downstream of the test section and aligned with the flow direction. A high-speed camera, operating at 300 frames per second, captured planar images of the flow field. Measurements were acquired at a sampling rate of 300 fps over a duration of 10 s.

The optical measurement plane was defined by a rectangular Field of View (FOV) spanning 209 x 124.5 mm, positioned such that it began 20 mm upstream of the model

3. Model TB2 – Building topology typical in European communities

The purpose of this specimen was to investigate the aerodynamic response of TB2 (Test Building 2) under transient non-synoptic wind conditions on isolated and urban surrounding configurations. At a geometric scale of 1:100, TB2 features a U-shaped plan with a maximum longitudinal dimension of 368 mm and a maximum width of 119 mm. The two lateral wings each extend 62 mm, while the width of the central portion of the building is 83 mm. The model has two different height configurations representing three-story and two-story buildings. For the three-story configuration (height configuration 1), the eave height is 108 mm, while the maximum roof height is 133 mm. For the two-story configuration (height configuration 2), the eave height is 72 mm, while the maximum roof height is 97 mm.

A total of three combinations of surroundings and building height were tested for the TB2: height configurations 1 and 2 in isolation and height configuration 1 with urban surroundings.

A Pitot-static tube was installed with its measurement tip positioned near the windward wall, at a height equal to twice the building height above the ground in correspondence with the height configuration.

1. HFPI tests of TB2 in isolation – Height configuration 1

TB2 has been tested in isolation for the height configuration 1, for 3 different orientations (0, 45 and 90 degrees), and for 4 different levels of acceleration of the transient non-synoptic winds.

pdf

Instrumentation

Pressure scanners were connected to the measurement locations through Tygon tubes. In particular:

- 360 pressure taps were installed on the surfaces on the building, covering roof and walls at different heights and reinforcing the measurements around corners. Pressure taps coordinate are available in the file “TB2_TapNo.mat” (see on the related Zenodo repository), and they are also illustrated in the files “TB2_H1_TappingScheme.pdf” and "TB2_H2_TappingScheme".

- Test section static pressure measurements: Additional pressure taps were installed on the walls of the test section used for the building experiments, corresponding to the conventional test section employed for Atmospheric Boundary Layer wind simulations. These measurements provided estimates of the static pressure within the test section. Similarly, pressure taps located on the walls of another test section of the Giovanni Solari Wind Tunnel, specifically the section commonly used for dynamic testing of sectional bridge models, were connected to the pressure scanners to provide estimates of the corresponding static pressure.

- Total and static pressure measurements were acquired by means of two Pitot-static tubes; the first one was installed near the ceiling of the same test section, similarly to the experiments conducted in absence of the building; the second one was installed at a height equal to twice the building height above the ground (i.e., 266 mm and 194 mm, for the two heights of TB1), with its measurement tip positioned near the windward wall.

All measurements were acquired simultaneously.

The last environmental measurement that was taken concerned the temperature, and that is reported as a mean value in the data.

2. HFPI tests of TB2 with surrounding – Height configuration 1

TB2 has been tested surrounded by non-instrumented rectangular models designed to reproduce the wind-flow characteristics typically encountered in a European urban environment. Height configuration 1 was examined, for 3 different orientations (0, 45 and 90 degrees), and for 4 different levels of acceleration of the transient non-synoptic winds.

Instrumentation

Same as "HFPI tests of TB2 in isolation – Height configuration 1".

3. HFPI tests of TB2 in isolation – Height configuration 2

TB2 has been tested in isolation for the height configuration 2, for 3 different orientations (0, 45 and 90 degrees), and for 4 different levels of acceleration of the transient non-synoptic winds.