CFD not used for ERB design, evidently...
If only the architects of the Engineering Research Building had run a CFD* simulation on the design, they would have spotted the venturi created by the walkway between the buildings. This venturi accelerates the wind flowing between the buildings, and thus also creates a low-pressure area that ensures opening any of the entrance doors results in them being rapidly sucked out and smashing into each other, The problem this morning was particularly bad as the damper has been detached from the door (probably because it is not strong enough to self-close against such a pressure differential), thus the door can swing in an uncontrolled manner. I would not be surprised if the glass breaks one of these days. The automated access door will soon burn out its motor for the same reasons.
*CFD - Computational Fluid Dynamics
3 Comments:
Good comment!
Don't know what case you are referring to (just got here through a Google alert on CFD), but this is a really good point.
I've seen several really bad constructions lately that would have been easily spotted with some simple use of simulations.
Went to a friend's apartment the other day, and where their mail boxes are located.... man, you could have performed wind tunnel experiments there!
Now that CFD is quite easy to use, well integrated into CAD systems etc, why isnt' it more widely used?
It's a feature, not a bug. All these hot heads doing all this amazing research at UL needs some cooling down when they eventually step outdoors, or before going into the place.
Buildings have now conceded that there's an inherent design problem by posting a sign telling us that the door is locked because of the windy conditions and to use the other door...
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