Wind Load simulation on partially clad truss

[ALJohns]

Hi There

I am attempting to model wind loads on a steel frame truss. In some locations the truss is clad with permeable decorative screens. Also, a large billboard will be fixed to the truss.

I have used cladding elements to model the screens/billboard and run a wind load simulation. The loads generated seem extremely high since the front cladding doesn't provide shielding for those behind. Each cladding element has a full positive pressure on the front and negative suction on the back.

Is there a better way to model this situation, or should I exclude the cladding from the wind simulation and apply the loads manually.

For reference, the model is available via the following link: https://fil.email/50PbZ

Thanks for your help

Aaron

[saclovitzky]

Hello,

I would suggest to apply the loads manually and convert wind loads to point loads if you can.

[Pawel.Pulak · Accepted solution]

Wind load simulation is a tool intended to be relatively simple, without access to some parameters of the simulation like the size of the virtual wind tunnel or the discretization size used when simulating the flow.

For the proportions of your model (total structure size exceeding 300 meters while perpendicular size of single pylons less than 5 meters) it results in the discretization size too big to consider shielding of elements.

You can check it for instance deleting all other elements except of some single pylon and repeating simulation again. In such case your will see the shielding effects caused by windward claddings or truss.

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