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Wind and Structures Volume 38, Number 3, March 2024 , pages 171-191 DOI: https://doi.org/10.12989/was.2024.38.3.171 |
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Full-scale simulation of wind-driven rain and a case study to determine the rain mitigation effect of shutters |
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Krishna Sai Vutukuru, James Erwin and Arindam Gan Chowdhury
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| Abstract | ||
| Wind Driven Rain (WDR) poses a significant threat to the building environment, especially in hurricane prone regions by causing interior and content damage during tropical storms and hurricanes. The damage due to rain intrusion depends on the total amount of water that enters the building; however, owing to the use of inadequate empirical methods, the amount of water intrusion is difficult to estimate accurately. Hence, the need to achieve full-scale testing capable of realistically simulating rain intrusion is widely recognized. This paper presents results of a full-scale experimental simulation at the NHERI Wall of Wind Experimental Facility (WOW EF) aimed at obtaining realistic rain characteristics as experienced by structures during tropical storms and hurricanes. A full-scale simulation of rain in strong winds would allow testing WDR intrusion through typical building components. A study of rain intrusion through a sliding glass door is presented, which accounted for the effects of multiple wind directions, test durations and wind speeds; configurations with and without shuttering systems were also considered. The study showed that significant levels of water intrusion can occur during conditions well below current design levels. The knowledge gained through this work may enhance risk modeling pertaining to loss estimates due to WDR intrusion in buildings, and it may help quantify the potential reduction of losses due to the additional protection from shuttering systems on sliding glass doors during winds. | ||
| Key Words | ||
| hurricane damage; interior damage; rain intrusion; sliding doors; wall of wind; wind-driven rain | ||
| Address | ||
| Krishna Sai Vutukuru and James Erwin:Extreme Events Institute, Florida International University, United States Arindam Gan Chowdhury:1)Extreme Events Institute, Florida International University, United States 2)Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Florida International University, United States | ||