Overview of large-eddy simulation for wind loading on slender structures

Abstract

Understanding and predicting the effects of wind loading on a structure is necessary for a safe, effective, and economical engineering design. Wind tunnel techniques are expensive and often provide data that is not sufficiently detailed for the structural engineer. With increasing advances in computational capabilities, it has recently become feasible to investigate these flows using numerical techniques. Of these, one of the most effective approaches to simulate the turbulence observed in natural wind is Large-Eddy Simulation (LES). The application of LES to analyse wind loading, and aeroelastic effects on structures are only a recent venture in the field. This paper reviews the progress made over the last few decades for the analysis of wind flow around slender structures, and the more recent analysis incorporating the effects of freestream turbulence. Firstly, a review of the literature for generating freestream turbulence is carried out, and are assessed based on their flaws and strengths. A number of these are subsequently used for the analysis of surface pressures on an isolated tall model building. Subsequently, a review is made into wind tunnel analysis and LES for the aeroelastic analysis of bridge sections. The recent advances in the understanding of turbulence effects on the aeroestatic responses are summarised. The future of LES and its relationship wind tunnel analysis for wind loading analysis are discussed.

Freestream Turbulence Effects on the Aerodynamics of an Oscillating Square Cylinder at the Resonant Frequency

“…Overal, the small scale FST (i.e., ILS/D ≤ 1) has little impact on the lift PSD for the forced oscillating cylinder. This is consisten with those for a rectangular cylinder in small scale FST [18,19], in which they concluded that the FST evidently reduced the response. Miyazaki and Miyata [5] and Tamura and Ono [17] studied the response of a square cylinder in the FST with larger integral length scales (1.5 ≤ ILS/D ≤ 2), found only in a small range of the Scruton number 20 ≤ Sc ≤ 30 the amptitude of the response was evedently increased.…”

“…The pioneering studies of non-stationary winds or oscillating bluff bodies usually considered smooth inflow only, e.g., [5,[15][16][17]. Only a small number of published papers studied aerodynamics of oscillating square or rectangular cylinders in freestream turbulence, e.g., [17][18][19].…”

“…Lin et al [22] carried out a study of a bridge deck section in forced torsional oscillation, and their results confirmed the stabilising effect of freestream turbulence on the flutter instability. Daniels et al [18] and Daniels and Xie [19] studied the freestream turbulence effects on the VIV of one degree-of-freedom (DOF) motion of a bridge deck section either in heaving or torsional motion by using LES. The bridge section was a rectangular cylinder with a width-thickness ratio B/D = 4.…”

Impact of large-scale free-stream turbulence on a pitching airfoil

“…In addition, the lift coefficient of the two free-stream turbulence cases is reduced by an average of 22 % within 15 • ↓≤ 𝛼 ≤ 22 • ↓. The reason for the reduction of lift at pre-stall and during the early stages of downstroke is due to the impingement of the incoming large-scale turbulence on the LEVs and the subsequent disordered LEVs (see Daniels & Xie 2022). One mechanism is the freestream large-scale turbulence entrainment -the process by which mass is transferred from the external flow regime to the LEV regime (see figure 6b-d (middle) and (right)).…”

Study on Wind-Induced Dynamic Response and Statistical Parameters of Skeleton Supported Saddle Membrane Structure in Arching and Vertical Direction

“…Jacome et al [12] optimized the aerodynamic-induced vibration of the wing based on the uncertainty-based aerodynamic optimization method. Scholars at home and abroad have also carried out related research on steel structures [13], high-rise buildings [14][15][16] and other building structures [17][18][19][20][21][22][23].…”