FIELD MEASUREMENTS OF TYPHOON-INDUCED WIND EFFECTS ON LOW-RISE BUILDINGS

Two full-scale instrumented low-rise buildings with flat roof and gable roof, respectively, have been built and implemented to monitor wind field and associated building surface pressures during typhoon landfalls since 2008. The original intention of this project is to further understand typhoon-generated wind characteristics and wind loads on low-rise buildings under extreme wind conditions. This paper presents the cumulative results of the field measurements on these two low-rise buildings. Firstly, the surface level wind turbulence characteristics such as gust factor, turbulence intensity, turbulence integral length scale and velocity spectra are investigated relative to different terrain roughness regimes, various stages of the typhoons and approaching wind speed strengths. Then, detailed analysis of mean, fluctuating and negative peak pressures measured on the two buildings was conducted. Finally, comparisons between the full-scale measurements and wind tunnel test results were made to evaluate the accuracy of the model test results and the adequacy of the techniques used in the wind tunnel tests. The results reveal that windward leading edges on corner areas are consistently subjected to the most severe suction pressures for quartering winds. Both the wind tunnel tests and specifications of current design codes underestimate the real fluctuating and negative peak pressure coefficients on roof corner zones. The findings of this study provide useful information on the wind-resistant design of low-rise buildings in typhoon-prone regions.