SIGraDi 2016, XX Congress of the Iberoamerican Society of Digital Graphics

9-11, November, 2016 - Buenos Aires, Argentina

Parametric 3d wind loading on hemispheric dome structures

Parametric 3d wind loading on hemispheric dome structures

Felipe Tavares da Silva

Federal University of Bahia, Brazil
Faculty of Architecture
[email protected]

Abstract
Within the visual programming platforms in parametric design, it has not yet available with effective integration the CFD
(Computational Fluid Dynamics) simulation systems. This coupling would be particularly useful in relation to the modeling of
structures subjected to wind loads in a parametric and algorithmically programmed scenario. It is proposed in this work a
parametric modeling of the distribution of wind loads on the surface of a hemispherical dome structure surface. From a
combination of wind speed, internal and external pressure coefficient, dimensions of the building, topography and roughness of
the terrain. It were defined the magnitude and direction of a field of distributed normal forces on the surface of the
hemispherical dome and some results were obtained.

Keywords: Wind loading; hemispheric dome; thin shell; grid shell; structures

suction areas, with coefficients with negative sign. It is also

Introduction noted that the top of this dome concentrates the highest
Within the visual programming platforms in parametric intensity of external suction pressure coefficient. In direct
design, it has not yet already available with effective incidence to windward, was observed a maximum coefficient
integration the CFD (Computational Fluid Dynamics) of 0.6. In the leeward it can be observed a sparse
simulation systems. This coupling would be particularly useful representation of numeric values up to -0.2 suction coefficient
in relation to the modeling of structures subjected to wind values.
loads in a parametric and algorithmically programmed
scenario. It is proposed in this work a parametric modeling of Once considered the importance of knowing the limitations of
the distribution of wind loads on a hemispherical dome construction solutions, certainly there will be opportunity for
structural surface. answers in parametric models.

In structural design must be taken into account the effects of

mechanical actions due to wind on buildings. The Brazilian
standard provides some parameters in your statement on the
calculation of wind loads. This Brazilian standard is called
NBR 6123 (1988) wind load on building structures, presents
an external pressure coefficient isobaric lines for
unidirectional flow of wind (Figure 1).

The Eurocode 1: Actions on Structures (1991) gives similar

view on wind load when comparing with the Brazilian
Standard, as well as other standards and references in this
theme (Melaragno,1991; Farshad,1992; Jawad,2004). All
these references gives a expression that relates de wind
pressure to wind velocity, considering some aspects of
geographical, topographical, or geometrical nature.
Additionally, in dependency of the building shape these wind
models loads the building surfaces on overpressure or Figure 1: External coefficient isobaric lines diagram for hemispherical
suction. building shape in accord with NBR 6123 (1988) standard.

Brazilian Standard external pressure coefficient The wind force applied on the surfaces qws, according to
isobaric lines for domes NBR6123 (1988) is given by the product of the wind dynamic
pressure qd by the difference between the internal and
The Brazilian standard for wind load on buildings calculations external pressure (Eq. 1).
gives graphical information about the external coefficient
pressure due to wind action. In Figure 1 it can be observed its
𝑞𝑤𝑠 = (𝑐𝑝𝑒 − 𝑐𝑝𝑖 ) ∙ 𝑞𝑑 (1)
overpressure zones, with coefficients with positive sign; and

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 SIGraDi 2016, XX Congress of the Iberoamerican Society of Digital Graphics
9-11, November, 2016 - Buenos Aires, Argentina
The cpe external coefficient pressure for domes is given in Figure 3: Side view of the hemisphere geometry and the middle point
Figure 1. The internal pressure coefficient cpi depends on the wind flow velocity plan pattern by wind tunnel simulation in the left to
permeability of the dome winds actions on its surface. This right flow sense.
same standard simplifies appointing permeability cpi = 0 for
cases of total impermeability and cpe = - cpi for cases of
surface wind permeability above 30%.

This dynamic pressure qd is an estimated quantity of wind

pressure in function of geographical, topographical an even
the dimension of the building analyzed. With this Figure 4: In left to right order: Top, lateral and frontal view of
methodology it can be evaluated in simplified manner the pressure level distribution graphic from a wind tunnel simulation over
wind mechanical action on a hemispherical dome. a hemispherical geometry structure.

It can be observed in those figures the formation of circular

Wind tunnel modeling simulation vortices in the leeward of the hemispherical surface and in
One of the ways to determine the force that the wind applies this region the wind acts on a lower velocity flow. Also, it can
on building structures is the wind tunnel test. In structural be seen that in middle lateral and top of the surface has a
studies of high buildings and complex geometry is reasonable higher velocity.
to experience the physical wind tunnel test or simulate it
computationally. The ASCE standard for wind tunnel testing In figure 3 is shown the superficial pressure on the
testing for buildings and other structures (2012) or the basic hemispheric surface obtained of wind tunnel simulation. It can
CFD reference book by Anderson (1995) are good references be observed that it has some similarity when compared with
for this subject although don’t give a direct application of CFD the external coefficient isobaric lines graphic from NBR6123
simulations on building structures. Brazilian wind load standard.

CFD simulation experience over hemispheric CFD simulation experience over gridshell
dome geometry geodesic dome geometry
Using the Autodesk Flow Design Software wind tunnel It can be domes designed structures in thin smooth shell,
simulation tool, applied on a hemispherical smooth surface, it very close to a smooth hemispherical surface shape, as well
can be observed the graphic wind velocity flow pattern. The as dome structures in trussed gridshells or the peculiar form
intensity of velocity around the hemispheric dome surface of geodesic domes.
was observed at the top and lateral view, respectively, at
middle horizontal and vertical flow plan sections. These The characteristic of the faceted geodesic gridshells domes
graphics consist of photography moment of the transient do not present the same aerodynamic behavior as in the
simulated wind flow and its shown in figures 2 and 3. case of hemispherical ones. It can be seen this from the CFD
simulation on the geodesic dome shape surface (Figures 5,6
and 7).

Figure 2: Top view of the hemisphere geometry and the middle

height wind flow velocity plan pattern by wind tunnel simulation in a
left to right flow sense.

Figure 5: Top view of the geodesic geometry and the middle height
wind flow velocity plan pattern by wind tunnel simulation in left to right
flow sense.

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9-11, November, 2016 - Buenos Aires, Argentina
Figure 6: Side view of the geodesic geometry and the middle point parametrically the isobaric lines diagrams (Figure 8). This
wind flow velocity plan pattern by wind tunnel simulation in the left to task consisted of subdivide de base circle of a considered
right sense. hemisphere as the starting and ending point of the open
curves isobaric lines. For the closed curves it was also
considered a straight line for central references of the
rectangles. This process was made in a simplified form
limited to the precision on CAD zoom and by the definition of
scanned image of Figure 1. This graphic parametric
information was scaled and linked to a hemispherical surface
Figure 7: In left to right order: Top, lateral and frontal view of to obtain this 3D distribution of wind pressure coefficient.
pressure level distribution graphic from a wind tunnel simulation over
a geodesic dome geometry structure.
After parametrically model the flat isobaric contours, a
hemispherical surface was created with the goal of stamp
It can be observed that the wind velocity pattern flow on these contours on it (Figure 9).
geodesic dome shape is more chaotic and presents bigger
vortices at the leeward. The surface pressure distribution of
In parallel, it has also modeled a geodesic half icosahedron
these two types of dome surface shapes showed a similar
mesh to obtain the geodesic gridshell bars that were used to
pattern, as it can been seen comparing figures 4 and 7.
model the structural geometry that was simulated (Figure 9).
This geodesic geometry was generated with the help of the
Parametric modeling of wind Weaver Bird Grasshopper’s add-on. This is a built-in add-on
that generates automatically a icosahedrons by defining the
structural load plane and the reference radius, and this mesh was refined by
In this section will be described the process of implementing one level. To get only the upper part of the icosahedrons to
the wind load isobaric lines diagrams graphically over de obtain the geodesic dome, was selected only the mesh
some surface geometry, in accordance with the NBR 6123 panels which has the coordinate Z of its center with values
Brazilian wind structural load standard. This parametrically greater than zero.
represented external pressure coefficient distribution, was
compared with the results of the CFD simulation and used as Continuing, the plan parametric isolines modeled was
input data for structural simulation of a geodesic gridshell projected on the hemispherical shape to obtain the external
dome structure. pressure coefficient 3D distribution from the Brazilian wind
load standard by a normal surface vector field (Figure 10).
External pressure coefficients distributed on
hemispherical surface modeling A built-in Grasshopper feature component was used to obtain
The vector field modeling process with the intensity and the geodesic distance and thereby determine the distance of
direction of the wind external pressure coefficients on the a point on the hemispherical surface to the nearest isobaric
surface began with the image stamping Figure 1 on the line. Thus, at the points on the dome surface mesh was
hemispherical surface. Over this plane isobaric lines figure determined the magnitude and direction of the vector
was drawn up parametric curves through the use of a circle representing the value of the external pressure coefficient at
and opened NURBS and chamfered rectangles to model this point.

Figure 8: Excerpt of the proposed code with the parametric drawing of isobaric lines of external pressure coefficient.
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 SIGraDi 2016, XX Congress of the Iberoamerican Society of Digital Graphics
9-11, November, 2016 - Buenos Aires, Argentina

Figure 9: Excerpt of the proposed code generation: the hemispheric and geodesic shapes

Figure 10: Excerpt of the proposed code generation: isobaric lines projection; creation of the vector field representing the wind pressure
distributions.

Applying the wind load on a structure model group of components for Grasshopper environment with the
ability to perform structural modeling and these can be
Applying this process at a distribution points on the surface,
designed so that they are parametrically attached to the
was obtained then a vector field that represents the
geometry. This allows for example to perform a structural
distribution of external wind pressure coefficients this form finding using search algorithms for design optimized
geometry according to NBR 6123 standard, with the excerpt settings.
of the code tha does it shown in Figure 10.
Figure 11 shows a excerpt of the proposed algorithm code to
With the help from the Karamba Structural Modeling add-on generate the structural geodesic dome gridshell model.
for Grasshopper, from Weaver Bird’s icosahedrons geodesic
gridshell mesh and generated vector field, the structural
In this structural modeling, the vector field with the direction
modeling was made. The Karamba add-on is package with a
and intensity of the external pressure coefficient was used to
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9-11, November, 2016 - Buenos Aires, Argentina
calculate the wind load on the faces of geodesic gridshell. In figure 12 it is shown an full overview of the algorithm
The algorithm automatically calculated the nodal equivalents implemented in Grasshopper environment. It can be seen in
wind forces in the gridshell structure nodes, due to those face this figure the connection between the sections shown in the
distributed wind load. preceding figures.

It was considered structural bars with tubular steel sections

hinged at its ends. The supports were considered in all lower
geodesic gridshell nodes.

Figure 11: Excerpt of the proposed code generation: structural modeling of geodesic gridshell dome submitted to the proposed wind load.

Figure 12: Proposed Grasshopper algorithm code full overview

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9-11, November, 2016 - Buenos Aires, Argentina

Results
In figure 13 its show the result of the projection the isobaric
lines and the vector field indicating the intensity and direction
of wind external pressure coefficient on hemispheric shape.

Figure 16: Geodesic gridshell axial forces diagram: from top left, in
clock-wise sense, top; perspective; frontal; and right view.

This section also shows the geodesic gridshell geometry

modeling through Karamba and their respective results of
Figure 13: External pressure coefficient vector field: from top left, in
clock-wise sense, top; perspective; frontal; and right view.
displacement and axial load in the bars.

In a simplified manner, was also compared pressure on the

dome surface calculation results by indications from Brazilian
standard against the results observed in the wind tunnel
simulation on hemispherical and geodesic domes.

In figure 14 it is shown the geodesic gridshell geometric

model with bars, supports and the proposed wind load. In
figure 15 and 16 it is shown, respectively, the bars deformed
shape and axial forces.

Besides the structural results, also it makes interesting show

a comparison of the extreme values of wind load pressure on
the surface of the domes. The values of Brazilian standard
wind load superficial pressure and the wind tunnel simulation
experiments results are shown in Table1.

Figure 14: Geodesic gridshell structural modeling: from top left, in

Table1: Surface pressure extremes values wind loads on
clock-wise sense, top; perspective; frontal; and right view.
domes structures in KN/m² associated with wind velocity in
m/s.
Method velocity minimal maximum
NBR 6123 10 -0.06 +0.04
standard 30 -0.55 +0.33
50 -1.53 +0.92

Hemispheric 10 -0.10 +0.06

CFD 30 -0.90 +0.60
50 -2.50 +1.60

Geodesic 10 -0.05 +0.06

CFD 30 -0.80 +0.60
50 -2.50 +1.50

It was not considered any modification of the basic wind

velocity value by topographical characteristics in the
Figure 15: Geodesic gridshell structural deformed shape: from top calculation of extremes values wind loads on Table1.
left, in clock-wise sense, top; perspective; frontal; and right view.

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9-11, November, 2016 - Buenos Aires, Argentina
smooth or faceted surface as in the case of the thin shell and
Discussions geodesic domes, respectively. It was observed that at 30 m/s
In any case, although it can be seen a possible divergence wind speed, at a tunnel CFD simulation, the wind speed near
between the wind load pressure models on the Brazilian the surface is around 10% more faster in the geodesic dome
standard and CFD simulations. Although the vector field of case than in the smooth hemispherical. In relation to the wind
external pressure coefficient proposed has brought consistent pressure on the surface it was observed almost the same
results from the point of view of structural modeling. level of extreme pressure values.

Indeed, the level of the wind loads observed at this structural

setup and shape it was very low. If it is considered light and
References
strength material, it can be possible to build larger domes for Anderson, J. D. (1995). Computational Fluid Dynamics. Singapore:
roof over smaller or larger areas. McGraw-Hill Books.
Eurocode 1: Actions on structures (1991).
However, this work shows a great lack of sophistication in
Farshad, M. (1992). Deslgn and analysis of shell structures.
parametric tools at this time when it comes to CFD Springer.
simulations and CAD models coupled.
Jawad, M. H. (2004). Design of plate and shell structures. American
Society of Mechanical Engineering.
Including the long-standing since the last update, the
Brazilian standard for wind load is shown fairly rudimentary Melaragno, M. G. (1991). Introduction to shell structures: the art and
when compared to CFD technology. It would be quite science of vaulting. Van Nostrand Reinhold.
interesting when it will update to contain information about NBR 6126 (1988). Forças devidas ao vento em edificações. Rio de
the methodologies of modeling and analysis about applying Janeiro: ABNT-Associação Brasileira de Normas Técnicas.
CFD to determine the wind forces on the buildings structures.

It was found that there is indeed a difference between the

wind flow patterns when the hemispherical dome has a

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