The Wall of Wind: destroying buildings in the cause of science
During my week at the National Hurricane Center this October that I spent as part of their Visiting Scientist Program, I had the opportunity to visit one of the most remarkable engineering efforts used in hurricane research--the International Hurricane Research Center's "Wall of Wind" (WoW) on the campus of Florida International University. As I pulled into the parking lot next to the big metal building that houses the Wall of Wind research lab, I was met by Erik Salna, the Associate Director of the International Hurricane Research Center. He walked me over to their 2-story high "Wall of Wind", which consists of a bank of six 500 horsepower "hot-rod" auto engines with propellers attached, arranged in a box pattern. When the six engines are all fired up, they can generate Category 1 hurricane wind speeds of 80 - 85 mph (not to mention an unholy racket!) Researchers at the Wall of Wind study how full-scale buildings fare under the onslaught of these winds, and in the presence of flying debris and wind-driven rain. Fifteen peer-reviewed journal articles have resulted from WoW research, and changes to the Florida Building Code for 2010 have been recommended by the Technical Advisory Committee at the 2010 Florida Building Code meeting, based on WoW research. It was pretty cool to see how the WoW group tested different shingles, roof slopes, and roof edge and corner designs by wiring the roofs being tested with an elaborate network of pressure transducers. WoW research has shown the importance of protecting your windows with shutters--an open window in a house with a ceiling hatch increases the wind load on the windward side of a gable roof by 45%, greatly increasing the chances of complete roof failure.
Figure 1. Now if I just reach out and flip the switch to my left, my hair will get massively blow-dried! The current 6-fan version of the Wall of Wind (which became operational in 2007) can generate Category 1 hurricane winds of 80 - 85 mph. The reinsurance company Renaissance Re Holdings Ltd provided the funding for the 6-fan Wall of Wind.
Phase 2: the 12-fan Wall of Wind
Last year, Congress thought highly enough of the Wall of Wind's research results to appropriate $1 million to fund a new 12-fan Wall of Wind that will be able to generate wind speeds of 140 mph--Category 4 strength. Additional support is coming from the State of Florida. The new fans are truly massive, and it will be an impressive sight and sound when the new wall goes live. The new wall should greatly aid efforts to engineer new buildings that can withstand the winds of a major hurricane.
One other cool thing the WoW people are doing is sponsoring a Wall of Wind contest for high school students. Each year, local student compete to design a roof structure that fare the best in the Wall of Wind in some engineering category. This year, the kids had to design a roof that would minimize the amount of loose gravel that would fly off a 14x14" test roof. There were some very ingenious entries the kids designed.
Figure 2. The new 12-fan version of the Wall of Wind is currently under construction, and will be able to generate Category 4 hurricane winds of 140 mph when it is completed. Walter Conklin (left) is Laboratory Manager of the Laboratory for Wind Engineering Research, and James Erwin (right) is a research scientist studying hurricane wind damage.
Links
The Wall of Wind website has some links to videos of the Wall in action.
I'll have a new post on Friday.
Jeff Masters
Reader Comments
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Hopefully the girl was too
It's one of my tunes. Available on ITUNES.
I make 70 cents whenever one of my tunes is downloaded.
Ah, he is a champ about it. He gets some good laughs at my expense. I get a kick out of it.
That rocks.
I do too, he's pretty funny.
I'll send you the numbered account destination.
(although, I cannot hide from the Grillin')
Hello Dear.
That ought to bring a chuckle, later.
Let's just say I know just how far to go on the blog. (smiles quietly)
I had 8 older brothers and sisters. I think one matures much faster with older siblings. Observation and imitation are great learning tools.
10-4. I think we need a Animated Emoticon OTD award. I nominate myself for today's.
I am the eldest of 3. Guess that's why I still feel like a kid ;-)
I'd vote for that one. Very fitting.
Agreed. That was nice!
Thanksya both. With that, I leave you with this
Once when my mother was about 96, she was staying with us and I had fallen asleep on the couch. She used a wheelchair a lot then and I could hear this little squeek and felt a blanket going over me. I never opened my eyes. I guess we feel the same about our own. No matter how old they are we still see them as kids. Funny how some things stick in your mind.
Love that tune.
Ah, the days of tuning your own axe, onstage. Bands today have so many instruments, I believe that to be a lost art.
A nice image. You have a way. Kudos.
I don't like to over compliment, because sometimes it sounds a little trite, but you should have been a casting director or in the visual arts. You have an incredible knack of finding an appropriate and fitting visual for a particular moment. That is an art my friend; a true artists touch. I hit it by luck sometimes, but never by design. That particular neuron is missing in me. Two Kudi for you. LOL (never knew the plural for Kudos)
Good night, all. Once again, it was a great time here. Thank you! Catch ya on the 'morrow.
I thank you, my friend. I am very happy to have a place to share time with such good people. I am humbled by your kind words. If I have a gift, then I am equally lucky to have a place where others can enjoy it.
I hope you have a wonderful night. I must get some bit of sleep, before the alarm goes off.
+100
Tropical Cyclone Advisory #16
TROPICAL CYCLONE ABELE (02U)
2:00 PM WST December 3 2010
=======================================
At 6:00 AM UTC, Tropical Cyclone Abele, Category One (990 hPa) located at 19.1S 91.5E has 10 minute sustained winds of 45 knots with gusts of 65 knots. The cyclone is reported as moving southeast at 12 knots.
Dvorak Intensity: T2.5/3.0/W1.5/24HRS
Gale Force Winds
================
80 NM from the center
Forecast and Intensity
======================
12 HRS: 20.7S 93.4E - 35 knots (CAT 1)
24 HRS: 22.2S 94.5E - 35 knots (CAT 1)
48 HRS: 24.4S 96.6E - 30 knots (Tropical Low)
72 HRS: 24.5S 98.7E - 30 knots (Tropical Low)
Additional Information
=========================
Tropical Cyclone Abele has weakened over the past 24 hours. Recent visible satellite imagery reveals an exposed low level circulation centre with deep convection confined to southeast quadrant. This is in response to increasing W/NW shear. UW-CIMSS indicates WNW shear of about 25 knots at 030600UTC.
Dvorak: Based on a shear pattern, centre approximately 0.5 degree from edge of convection so DT=2.5. MET is 2.5 based on W trend with PAT unchanged at 2.5. So FT is 2.5 and CI is 3.0. ASCAT pass at 030241 UTC showed winds to 45 knots.
Abele is over unfavourable SSTs of 24 to 26 degrees and together with the increasing shear the system will continue to weaken. Gales are likely to be confined to the southern semicircle after 031800 UTC.
Abele is being steered by an upper level trough to the southwest. General southeast motion should continue in the short term. In the longer term the remnants are likely to be steered to the west under the influence of a ridge of high pressure.
True...I got 28 now around Marianna/Blountstown!!
Time to move to the KEYS!!
thank you
Help police! Someone stole my snowman
LONDON - As Arctic blizzards swept across southeast England, stranding hundreds in their cars and bringing motorways to a virtual halt in whiteout conditions, Kent police received a strange call on their emergency number.
"I haven't been out to check on him for five hours but I went outside for a fag (cigarette) and he's gone," said the female caller.
When the operator asked who had gone she replied: "My snowman. I thought that with it being icy and there not being anybody about he'd be safe.
"It ain't a nice road but you don't expect anybody to nick your snowman," she added.
Police were most definitely not amused.
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