Coupled Finite Volume and Finite Element Method Analysis of a Complex Large-Span Roof Structure

Abstract

The main goal of this paper is to present coupled Computational Fluid Dynamics and structural analysis for the precise determination of wind impact on internal forces and deformations of structural elements of a longspan roof structure. The Finite Volume Method (FVM) serves for a solution of the fluid flow problem to model the air flow around the structure, whose results are applied in turn as the boundary tractions in the Finite Element Method problem structural solution for the linear elastostatics with small deformations. The first part is carried out with the use of ANSYS 15.0 computer system, whereas the FEM system Robot supports stress analysis in particular roof members. A comparison of the wind pressure distribution throughout the roof surface shows some differences with respect to that available in the engineering designing codes like Eurocode, which deserves separate further numerical studies. Coupling of these two separate numerical techniques appears to be promising in view of future computational models of stochastic nature in large scale structural systems due to the stochastic perturbation method.

Research on the dynamics of lightweight shell and spatial structures with the aid of computational fluid dynamics and a shaking table

“…In the literature, work can be found on the flow of air around the vehicle itself [5,6] as well as on the impact of gusts from passing vehicles on road structures [7,8]. However, in their professional work in the design office, the authors faced much longer gantries and a different structure than in the literature.…”