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Applied Sciences
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Applications of Computational Fluid Dynamics to the Built Environment
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Applications of Computational Fluid Dynamics to the Built Environment

A special issue of Applied Sciences (ISSN 2076-3417). This special issue belongs to the section "Civil Engineering".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (30 June 2021) | Viewed by 23922

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Jennifer Keenahan

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
School of Civil Engineering and UCD Earth Institute, University College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
Interests: computational fluid dynamics; bridges; wind; thermal comfort; fire
Dr. Hassan Hemida

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Birmingham Centre for Railway Research and Education, School of Engineering, University of Birmingham, Birmingham B15 2TT, UK
Interests: CFD; crosswinds; train aerodynamics; drag reduction; air quality
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The use of computational fluid dynamics simulations in modeling the built environment is at the cutting edge of analysis and design in civil and infrastructure engineering. With advances in modeling techniques and computational power, the opportunities for modeling wind–structure interaction, fire and smoke spread, thermal comfort and efficiency, and acoustics of facades and buildings have never been greater. The advantages of CFD modeling over traditional methods (such as wind tunnel tests and full-scale fire testing) are significant. Modeling can be done at full-scale with minimal cost, modifications to the model can be made with speed and ease, and modeling can be done earlier in the design phase of a project and thus can inform the design process. Challenges associated with CFD modeling are also well documented, most notably the challenges of validating models. This Special Issue welcomes papers within the broad field of computational fluid dynamics for the built environment.

Dr. Jennifer Keenahan
Dr. Hassan Hemida
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Applied Sciences is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2400 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • Computational fluid dynamics
  • Built environment
  • Wind engineering
  • Thermal comfort
  • Fluid–structure interaction
  • Fire modelling
  • Numerical simulations
  • Wind energy in a built environment
  • Building aerodynamics
  • Wind loads in a built environment
  • Wind characteristics in a built environment

Published Papers (7 papers)

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Editorial

Jump to: Research, Review

2 pages, 172 KiB  
Editorial
Special Issue: Applications of Computational Fluid Dynamics to the Built Environment
by Jennifer Keenahan
Appl. Sci. 2023, 13(7), 4118; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/app13074118 - 23 Mar 2023
Viewed by 802
Abstract
With ever-increasing computational power and the capability of numerical methods, it is now possible to accurately simulate flow conditions in a virtual environment [...] Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Applications of Computational Fluid Dynamics to the Built Environment)

Research

Jump to: Editorial, Review

38 pages, 16570 KiB  
Article
Study on the Combined Effect of Multiple Passive Energy-Saving Methods for Rural Houses with Cold Alleys
by Xingbo Yao, Shuo Han and Bart Julien Dewancker
Appl. Sci. 2021, 11(12), 5636; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/app11125636 - 18 Jun 2021
Cited by 4 | Viewed by 2049
Abstract
China’s rural houses are mostly courtyard-style independent houses. Such houses have certain characteristics, e.g., small mutual influences between houses, strong transformation flexibility, and an easier approach to using the natural environment to develop passive energy-saving characteristics. Therefore, rural houses have large energy-saving potential. [...] Read more.
China’s rural houses are mostly courtyard-style independent houses. Such houses have certain characteristics, e.g., small mutual influences between houses, strong transformation flexibility, and an easier approach to using the natural environment to develop passive energy-saving characteristics. Therefore, rural houses have large energy-saving potential. In this study, for the first time, the cold alleys between buildings were used as an energy source for passive cooling and ventilation. Traditional houses in Shuhe, China, were used as a case study. The cold alleys in the settlements were used to compensate for the natural conditions in summer, and the cold air in the cold alley was introduced into each room using hot-press ventilation and by employing an accumulation effect from a corresponding patio. The room was ventilated and cooled, and air ducts were used to connect the rooms on both sides of the patio to improve the cooling efficiency. The research variables included the existence or non-existence of wall heat radiation (WHR), and the importance and influence of the WHR on the indoor conditions were verified. The cold air trapped in the new system formed an air partition wall, effectively blocking the direct influence of solar radiation on the room, reducing the heat transfer rate of the residential wall, and consuming part of the heat. In winter, based on using air ducts as supporting members, a glass roof was added to the patio, which improved the heat storage capacity of the patio and turned it into a constant-temperature heater for heating the building interior. Based on calculations, in the new system without WHR, the annual cooling load reduction was 55,417.33 kWh. With WHR, the annual cooling load reduction was 28,537.57 kWh. The annual cooling load of the air insulation wall of the new system was reduced to 1133.7 kWh. In winter, using the glass roof to increase the heat storage capacity of the patio reduced the heating load to 54,537.78 kWh. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Applications of Computational Fluid Dynamics to the Built Environment)
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18 pages, 3485 KiB  
Article
Development of Building CFD Model Design Process Based on BIM
by Minhyung Lee, Gwanyong Park, Hyangin Jang and Changmin Kim
Appl. Sci. 2021, 11(3), 1252; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/app11031252 - 29 Jan 2021
Cited by 5 | Viewed by 3256
Abstract
This paper proposes the design process of optimized building Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) model based on Building Information Modelling (BIM). The proposed method consists of five-step processes: BIM data extraction, geometry simplification, grid optimization, attribute data matching, and finally, exporting a CFD case [...] Read more.
This paper proposes the design process of optimized building Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) model based on Building Information Modelling (BIM). The proposed method consists of five-step processes: BIM data extraction, geometry simplification, grid optimization, attribute data matching, and finally, exporting a CFD case folder for OpenFOAM. Validation is performed to evaluate the improvement of the grid model and the accuracy of the simulation result. Validation is conducted for four indoor ventilation models. The number of grids increased or decreased, according to the optimization method, but did not change significantly. On the other hand, the maximum non-orthogonality improved by up to 20.78%, according to the optimization function. This proves that it is sufficiently effective in improving the grid quality. The accuracy of the proposed method is evaluated by relative error rate with the ANSYS simulation result. The error rates for flow and temperature are evaluated. The relative error rate is less than 5% under all conditions. Therefore, the accuracy of the proposed method is verified. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Applications of Computational Fluid Dynamics to the Built Environment)
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27 pages, 9264 KiB  
Article
A Parametric Study of Wind Pressure Distribution on Façades Using Computational Fluid Dynamics
by Christopher McGuill and Jennifer Keenahan
Appl. Sci. 2020, 10(23), 8627; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/app10238627 - 02 Dec 2020
Cited by 4 | Viewed by 2237
Abstract
This paper uses Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) to determine wind pressures on façades for the purpose of efficient design of these elements. An outstand fin arrangement was modeled where local brackets are used to protrude the fins from the building. A parametric study, [...] Read more.
This paper uses Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) to determine wind pressures on façades for the purpose of efficient design of these elements. An outstand fin arrangement was modeled where local brackets are used to protrude the fins from the building. A parametric study, for both changes in the length of the bracket and the fin, was derived from CFD simulations with 1-in-50-year storm conditions adopted throughout. Further simulations are performed for revised wind directions that ensure all fins are equally exposed to oncoming winds. In total, 15 models are created to act as a representative sample of the total number of possible configurations. Peak values for pressure are used to calculate forces and moments on the fins. These wind loading results were then used to interpolate the values for the remaining façade geometries. From interpreting the trends that are apparent in the relationship of fin size and bracket length to efficient loading, a set of design criteria is established. The optimal façade design is defined, based on placing equal importance onto minimizing the force along the fin’s length and the moment acting at the fin-bracket connection. The performance of some façade elements is shown to worsen the effects of the wind, relative to other designs, with the potential for very negative consequences. Wind direction is shown to have a significant effect on loading, with the magnitude of wind pressures reduced considerably for the worst affected fin, if the sheltering effect is absent between the fins. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Applications of Computational Fluid Dynamics to the Built Environment)
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18 pages, 13705 KiB  
Article
Wind-Based Parametric Design in the Changing Climate
by Lenka Kabošová, Dušan Katunský and Stanislav Kmet
Appl. Sci. 2020, 10(23), 8603; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/app10238603 - 01 Dec 2020
Cited by 15 | Viewed by 6660
Abstract
In the climate change era, the tendency to utilize computer-aided strategies in architectural design enables the incorporation of the influences of ambient conditions into the design process. Such a design strategy can consequently contribute to creating nature-based, sustainable architectural, and urban solutions. In [...] Read more.
In the climate change era, the tendency to utilize computer-aided strategies in architectural design enables the incorporation of the influences of ambient conditions into the design process. Such a design strategy can consequently contribute to creating nature-based, sustainable architectural, and urban solutions. In this paper, it will be shown that the built environment can be designed, already from the first concepts, to affect and consequentially improve the local wind microclimate by addressing the unfavorable wind effects and proposing solutions for transforming them into an advantage. Utilizing the iterative Research Through Design (RTD) approach, the proposed data-driven wind-oriented shape optimization is introduced in a case study located in Stockholm. Three complex architectural shapes, resulting from the wind-oriented design approach, are parametrically designed in Grasshopper for Rhino and subsequently analyzed in a Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) plug-in Swift for Grasshopper. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Applications of Computational Fluid Dynamics to the Built Environment)
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21 pages, 5066 KiB  
Article
On the Flow over High-rise Building for Wind Energy Harvesting: An Experimental Investigation of Wind Speed and Surface Pressure
by Hassan Hemida, Anina Šarkić Glumac, Giulio Vita, Kristina Kostadinović Vranešević and Rüdiger Höffer
Appl. Sci. 2020, 10(15), 5283; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/app10155283 - 30 Jul 2020
Cited by 15 | Viewed by 3105
Abstract
The human migration from rural to urban areas has triggered a chain reaction causing the spiking energy demand of cities worldwide. High-rise buildings filling the urban skyline could potentially provide a means to improve the penetration of renewable wind energy by installing wind [...] Read more.
The human migration from rural to urban areas has triggered a chain reaction causing the spiking energy demand of cities worldwide. High-rise buildings filling the urban skyline could potentially provide a means to improve the penetration of renewable wind energy by installing wind turbines at their rooftop. However, the above roof flow region has not received much attention and most results deal with low-rise buildings. This study investigates the flow pattern above the roof of a high-rise building by analysing velocity and pressure measurements performed in an atmospheric boundary layer wind tunnel, including four wind directions and two different roof shapes. Comparison of the surface pressure patterns on the flat roof with available low-rise building studies shows that the surface pressure contours are consistent for a given wind direction. At 0° wind direction, a separation bubble is detected, while cone vortices dominate at 30° and 45°. The determining factor for the installation of small wind turbines is the vicinity to the roof. Thus, 45° wind direction shows to be the most desirable angle by bringing the substantial amplification of wind and keeping the turbulence intensity low. Decking the roof creates favourable characteristics by overcoming the sensitivity to the wind direction while preserving the speed-up effect. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Applications of Computational Fluid Dynamics to the Built Environment)
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Review

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24 pages, 1868 KiB  
Review
Wind-Induced Phenomena in Long-Span Cable-Supported Bridges: A Comparative Review of Wind Tunnel Tests and Computational Fluid Dynamics Modelling
by Yuxiang Zhang, Philip Cardiff and Jennifer Keenahan
Appl. Sci. 2021, 11(4), 1642; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/app11041642 - 11 Feb 2021
Cited by 18 | Viewed by 4308
Abstract
Engineers, architects, planners and designers must carefully consider the effects of wind in their work. Due to their slender and flexible nature, long-span bridges can often experience vibrations due to the wind, and so the careful analysis of wind effects is paramount. Traditionally, [...] Read more.
Engineers, architects, planners and designers must carefully consider the effects of wind in their work. Due to their slender and flexible nature, long-span bridges can often experience vibrations due to the wind, and so the careful analysis of wind effects is paramount. Traditionally, wind tunnel tests have been the preferred method of conducting bridge wind analysis. In recent times, owing to improved computational power, computational fluid dynamics simulations are coming to the fore as viable means of analysing wind effects on bridges. The focus of this paper is on long-span cable-supported bridges. Wind issues in long-span cable-supported bridges can include flutter, vortex-induced vibrations and rain–wind-induced vibrations. This paper presents a state-of-the-art review of research on the use of wind tunnel tests and computational fluid dynamics modelling of these wind issues on long-span bridges. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Applications of Computational Fluid Dynamics to the Built Environment)
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