Wind induced fluctuating airflow in buildings.

Airflow through a building has both mean and fluctuating components due to spatial and temporal variations in wind-induced pressures. Most of the existing investigations consider the average values of wind pressures and predict steadystate solutions for airflow [1]. This paper presents some experimental results for the validation of a proposed fluctuating airflow model [2]. The new model employs spectral analysis and statistical linearization methods to model the pulsating airflow through buildings. Frequency information of wind pressures, spectral and co-spectra, in addition to mean values are used as inputs. The model calculates the frequency characteristics of resultant airflow and estimates the effects of fluctuations on total air exchanges. The fluctuating wind pressures and airflow are simulated in a laboratory experimental setup. The action of varying wind pressure is simulated by a controllable fan-damper unit. The experimentally estimated transfer functions and RMS values of airflow are compared with theoretical ones, good agreements are obtained.