Effect of aerodynamic modifications on the surface pressure patterns of buildings using proper orthogonal decomposition

This study analyzed the pressure patterns and local pressure of tall buildings with corner modifications (recessed and chamfered corner) using wind tunnel tests and proper orthogonal decomposition (POD). POD can distinguish pressure patterns by POD mode and more dominant pressure patterns can be found according to the order of POD modes. Results show that both recessed and chamfered corners effectively reduced wind-induced responses. Additionally, unique effects were observed depending on the ratio of corner modification. Tall building models with recessed corners showed fluctuations in the approaching wind flow in the first POD mode and vortex shedding effects in the second POD mode. With large corner modification, energy distribution became small in the first POD mode, which shows that the effect of the first POD mode reduced. Among building models with chamfered corners, vortex shedding effects appeared in the first POD mode, except for the model with the highest ratio of corner modifications. The POD confirmed that both recessed and chamfered corners play a role in reducing vortex shedding effects, and the normalized power spectral density peak value of modes showing vortex shedding was smaller than that of the building model with a square section. Vortex shedding effects were observed on the front corner surfaces resulting from corner modification, as with the side surface. For buildings with recessed corners, the local pressure on corner surfaces was larger than that of side surfaces. Moreover, the average wind pressure was effectively reduced to 88.42% and 92.40% in RE1 on the windward surface and CH1 on the side surface, respectively.