Simulation of Non-Gaussian Wind Pressure Fields on Domed Structures

Wind pressure fluctuations acting on space structures are important for prediction of peak pressure values and for fatigue design purpose. Collection of several time histories of pressure fluctuations by traditional wind tunnel measurements is time consuming and expensive. Thus, a study on developing new wind pressure simulation technique on domed structures is carried out. An efficient, flexible and easily applied stochastic non-Gaussian simulation algorithm is presented using a cumulative distribution function (CDF) mapping technique that converges to a desired target power spectral density. This method first generates Gaussian sample fields using wavelet bases and then maps them into non-Gaussian sample fields with the aid of an iterative procedure. Results from this technique are presented and compared with those from the wind tunnel experiments. The advantages and limitations of this method are also discussed.