The Effect of Cylindrical Canopy on Atrium Buildings: Experimental Study

Abstract

The research presented in this paper shows the changes in wind pressures after constructing a cylindrical canopy over an atrium of a historical building. Architectural interventions on existing buildings must be carefully built, considering various aspects, such as wind pressure and airiness. The wind pressure analysis presented in this paper aims to show the changes in the atrium walls, the surrounding roof, and the cylindrical roof over the atrium to expand the knowledge about existing regulations. The research uses the following methods: wind tunnel experiment, numerical analysis, and comparison to existing regulations, following the Eurocode design guide for wind action. The hypothesis is that this research will emphasise the importance of wind tunnel experiments for specific locations, especially for architectural interventions on heritage buildings since it will draw attention to limitations of existing technical regulations regarding atrium buildings. This paper discusses the effect of the cylindrical canopy design on atrium buildings, and the conclusions set the basis for expanding the existing design guide for wind action.