Cyber-Physical Systems Approach for the Optimal Design in Wind Engineering: Parapet Walls

The research objective of this project is to develop a cyber-physical systems (CPS) approach to the optimal design of structures for wind hazards. The approach combines the accuracy of physical wind tunnel testing with the efficiency of numerical optimization algorithms to create an efficient approach to structural design. Experiments are executed in a wind tunnel, sensor feedback is monitored by a computer, and optimization algorithms dictate physical changes to the model in the wind tunnel. The traditional design process involving wind tunnel testing is an iterative procedure that can take weeks or months. Rather than having to construct multiple entirely new models, a model with physically adjustable parameters can be used to streamline the design process to efficiently reach the optimal solution much quicker than purely experimental methods and with a higher degree of realism than purely numerical methods.