Interference effects on wind loads on low-rise hip roof buildings

The Natural wind in the wind tunnel was simulated at the University of Roorkee (India) on the basis of full/model-scale comparison. For this, the Texas Tech University (TTU) building model was fabricated on a geometric scale of 1:50 and tested in the simulated wind for comparison of the pressures with full-scale values. A hip roof building model (geometric scale 1:50) of plan dimensions 280 mmx140 mmx58 mm (eave height) with 30 degrees roof slope was selected as the test building (T.B.) so as to examine interference with a similar building as well as three similar buildings placed on the upstream side at fifteen different locations (Fig. 2). A quadrant portion of the model roof was divided into ten different zones to see the effect of interference at critical roof positions. Significant effects have been observed. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.