3D Flow Characterization of Simulated Hurricane Wind Flow around a 1/3-Scale Light-Framed Wood Structure Using a 4-Hole Pressure Probe Sensor

Despite advances in structural engineering, the damage caused by hurricanes to wood-framed houses continues to increase. The interaction of turbulent winds with houses and the induced structural load paths are not fully understood. Additionally, the small size of typical wind tunnel models limit feasibility to conduct pressure and structural load path studies. As part of an ongoing experiment investigating the interaction of turbulent winds with light-framed wood structures and the resulting structural loads, quantifying the three-dimensional wind flow characteristics around the structure is needed. The experimental study involves subjecting a one-third scale, geometrically accurate model of a light-framed wood gable roof residential building to realistic simulation of design wind speeds and wind flow characteristics, using UF's Hurricane Simulator and concurrently capturing pressure distribution and structural loads on the house model. A four-hole probe called the "Cobra Probe" is been used to characterize the wind field generated for the test. This paper presents preliminary work in validating the Cobra Probe which simultaneously measures wind velocities and turbulence intensities for all three orthogonal directions as well as the static pressure simultaneously. Using two different small wind tunnel facilities, comparisons were made with a hot-wire anemometer. Generally, the results were agreeable with the capabilities of the Cobra Probe far exceeding those of the hot wire anemometer. The test setup for the 1/3-scale model testing is also described.