Aerodynamic effects on a high slenderness concrete chimney

Abstract This paper presents the results of a theoretical-experimental study on the aerodynamic behavior of a 150m high, slenderness 30, concrete chimney. For the wind tunnel tests two scaled models were built: one rigid for the measurement of the external pressures, and other aeroelastic, in which the main dynamic characteristics of the real structure were reproduced. The dynamic response under atmospheric turbulence (along-wind direction) is described in the paper and is compatible with the methodology of the Brazilian wind code NBR-6123. A brief analysis of the transversal response due to vortex shedding is presented according to the Canadian Wind Code NBCC. It is observed that, due to the low frequency of the structure, the dynamic approach leads to results significantly larger than those obtained from applying the conventional static approach of gust wind speed. The presence of the neighborhood have increased the loads on the structures.