Experimental study of wind-induced shear, bending, and torsional loads on rectangular tall buildings

To investigate wind-induced torsional loads on rectangular tall buildings, five rigid scale models were tested in an atmospheric boundary layer wind tunnel. Each model was built with identical plan dimensions but different aspect ratios. Two terrain categories were experimentally simulated in the wind tunnel to evaluate each model under different wind directions. From synchronized wind pressure measurements, the values for the shear wind force, bending moment, and torsion moment at the base of each model were calculated. The results were normalized in terms of mean shear, bending, and torque coefficients. Variations of the coefficients obtained with respect to the aspect ratio of the models tested were analyzed. Based on the experimental results, a new parametric equation to estimate the torque coefficients at the base of rectangular tall buildings as a function of aspect ratio and wind direction was proposed. The base torque coefficients obtained with the proposed equation are in good agreement with the experimental results.