Numerical research of layout effect on wind environment around high-rise buildings

Numerical research is carried out to analyse the wind environment around the building group consisting of six square cross-section high-rise buildings by using the Reynolds averaged equations and the renormalization group κ-ϵ turbulence model. The six buildings are initially arranged into two rows and three columns. Six types of layout of building group are obtained by altering the cross-wind space between two adjacent buildings in three columns. The wind velocity ratios and the corresponding velocity vector field around each type of layout at the pedestrian level (1.5m) are then examined and compared with each other. The results indicate that an O-shape layout generally experiences favourable outdoor wind environmental conditions, while an X-shape layout experiences unfavourable wind environment; when the buildings are arranged in a Y-shape layout, wind tunnel effect is more obvious than others. Besides, the relationship between the concave shape of windward side and the layout's outlet wind velocity is discussed. At the end of article, guidelines for outdoor greening in Y-, V- and U-shape layout are given based on the wind velocity ratio difference under the variational wind direction.