Abstract
Wind tunnel test was examined using house models with photovoltaic panels mounted on a gable roof under different wind turbulence conditions. Negative peak wind force coefficients on the panel near the gable vary with turbulence intensities. Following the wind tunnel test, Large Eddy Simulation (LES) was conducted to investigate the flow fields around the panel when a negative peak wind force appears on the panel. The greater negative peak wind force appears for higher turbulence intensity. The minimum value of the negative peak wind force on the panel near the roof is due to generating a conical vortex from the corner of the eaves and the gable. The vortex is generated by the advection of an air parcel with rotating motion from upwind at around the average height of the roof. The minimum value of the negative peak wind force is described by an equation as the sum of an average wind force and a fluctuating wind force. Design wind loads for photovoltaic panels mounted on a gable roof under different wind turbulence conditions can be predicted using the proposed equation for the various surface roughness categories.
