Application of cfd analytical tools in architectural design in the context of wind loads. Part 1

The article discusses the impact of air flow on architectural form. Climate change related extreme weather events expected in the near future pose a significant challenge and require the integration of building aerodynamics in the architectural design process. Windage analyses carried out at an early design stage are an essential tool in the process of searching for the architectural form of buildings designed to resist extreme wind events. Due to the breadth of the topic and the limitations of the article’s length, the text has been divided into two parts. The first part of the article presents early concepts of building aerodynamics, historical methods of wind flow analysis based on observations and physical models, as well as the use of CFD (Computational Fluid Dynamics) analytical tools. The article reviews and compares three wind analysis tools based on the CFD methodology: Autodesk CFD, Autodesk Flow Design and Butterfly (Ladybug plug-in). The results of an original study of the aerodynamics of the building of the high-mountain meteorological observatory on Śnieżka using the Autodesk Flow Design software were also presented as a case study of a facility located in extreme weather conditions and designed with a clear reference to aerodynamics. The second part of the article discusses the methodology of research on the aerodynamics of high-rise buildings and the impact of wind load on the architectural form of buildings. Case studies of two high-rise buildings located in Warsaw, made using the Autodesk Flow Design program, were also presented.