Wind Loading

Wind loads are forces exerted by wind on a structure. They depend on the local wind conditions and on the shape and surface characteristics of the building. As local wind conditions are difficult to predict accurately, wind loads are generally calculated using the simplified methods given by building engineering codes and standards, such as the European Eurocode [1].

When the building shape and terrain conditions are too complex to be taken into account using the methods given by the Eurocode, Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) methods provide a powerful tool for predicting wind flows over buildings.