Techno Press
Techno Press

Wind and Structures
  Volume 16, Number 1, January 2013 , pages 47-60
DOI: https://doi.org/10.12989/was.2013.16.1.047
 


Internal pressures in buildings with a dominant opening and background porosity
P.Y. Kim and J.D. Ginger

 
Abstract
    A dominant opening in a windward wall, which generates large internal pressures in a building, is a critical structural design criterion. The internal pressure fluctuations are a function of the dominant opening area size, internal volume size and external pressure at the opening. In addition, many buildings have background leakage, which can attenuate internal pressure fluctuations. This study examines internal pressure in buildings for a range of dominant opening areas, internal volume sizes and background porosities. The effects of background porosity are incorporated into the governing equation. The ratio of the background leakage area AL to dominant opening area AW is presented in a non-dimensional format through a parameter, 06 = AL/AW. Background porosity was found to attenuate the internal pressure fluctuations when 06 is larger than 0.2. The dominant opening discharge coefficient, k was estimated to lie between 0.05 to 0.40 and the effective background porosity discharge coefficient KL, was estimated to be between 0.05 to 0.50.
 
Key Words
    background porosity; internal pressure; discharge coefficient; Helmholtz resonance; dominant opening; building
 
Address
P.Y. Kim and J.D. Ginger : School of Engineering and Physical Sciences, James Cook University, Townsville, Queensland, Australia
 

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