Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU), NHERI 2024: Evaluating Mean Wind Loads on Tall Buildings: ABL and Downburst Winds

This paper presents a comparative analysis of mean wind loads on tall buildings subjected to two distinct wind profiles: Atmospheric Boundary Layer (ABL) winds, typically associated with hurricanes, and thunderstorm downburst (DB) winds. The study aims to evaluate the aerodynamic responses of a tall building model under these differing wind conditions, with a focus on understanding the implications for structural design and building code requirements. This paper, poster and presentation can be used to further investigate or compare the effects of differing wind types in aerodynamic testing. This work helps to provide more downburst testing on tall buildings where previously this field has limited prior research. The work it tailored to a novice audience within the wind engineering field.