Study on the numerical predictive accuracy of wind pressure distribution and air flow characteristics. Part 1: Optimization of turbulence models for prac- tical use

To evaluate wind pressure distribution on a building by using CFD (computational fluid dynamics), it has been generally practiced to use k-e models. However, it is known that the use of the standard k-e model has disadvantages such as overestimation of wind pressure coefficient and turbulent kinetic energy on the windward surface where wind impinges on the building. To overcome these problems, various modifications of the k-e model have been proposed. In the present study, a number of modified k-e models and RSM (Reynolds Stress equation Model) were applied for the estimation of wind pressure distribution on the building, which was designed in parallelepiped shape, and the characteristics in each of these models were confirmed. The results of the present study suggest that the modified k-e model incorporating Durbin’s limiter (model parameter α=0.5) showed satisfactory results for the estimation of wind pressure. In the overall evaluation, the modified k-e model incorporating Durbin’s limiter (α=0.65) and the modified k-e model incorporating renormalization group theory (RNG) provided good results.