Wind-Induced Ground-Surface Pressures Around a Single-Family House

Publication Type

Journal Article

Date Published

07/1996

Authors

DOI

Abstract

Wind induces a ground-surface pressure field around a building that can substantially affect the flow of soil gas and thereby the entry of radon and other soil-gas contaminants into the building. To quantify the effect of the wind-induced ground-surface pressure field on contaminant entry rates, the mean ground-surface pressure field was experimentally measured in a wind tunnel for several incidence angles of the wind, two atmospheric boundary layers, and two house geometries. The experimentally measured ground-surface pressure fields are compared with those predicted by a κ−ε turbulence model. Despite the fundamental limitations in applying a κ−ε model to a system with flow separation, predictions from the numerical simulations were good for the two wind incidence angles tested.

Journal

Journal of Wind Engineering and Industrial Aerodynamics

Volume

61

Year of Publication

1996

Issue

2-3

ISSN

01676105

Organization

Research Areas