“The main reason that you go in the wind tunnel (is) to investigate the wind performance of tall, slender buildings,” Morava says. Because builders no longer have to wait to see how other towers perform in the wind, skyscraper projects can be confidently planned and approved more quickly, he says. For their wind tests on proposed buildings — and bridges, large statues and art installations — RWDI impregnates models of the structures with hundreds or thousands of sensors. Their turbulence can be manipulated by dozens of horizontal and vertical slats, opened and shut to sculpt the wind appropriately. In addition to sensors, the cityscape models can also be bathed in concert smoke to visually check street-level wind conditions.

Source: thestar October 09, 2016 11:03 UTC