Aerodynamic Stability of Long-span Roofs based on Energy Balance

Abstract

The present paper investigates the aerodynamic stability on long-span roofs based on a computational fluid dynamics (CFD) analysis with large eddy simulation (LES). Three kinds of roofs, i.e. flat, cylindrical and suspended roofs, are tested. A smooth uniform flow and a turbulent boundary layer are used to understand the effect of inflow turbulence on the roof’s vibration. In the present paper, forced vibration tests in the first symmetric and anti-symmetric modes are carried out to clarify the stability of long-span roofs, and the energy contribution of the flow to the roof during the vibration period is computed. Finally, the critical condition which induces the aerodynamically unstable vibration is presented for each roof shape based on the energy contribution.