One-Way FSI Coupling with Steady-State and Transient CFD Analysis for the Umbrella Form of Tensile Membrane Structure

The structural performance of a Tensile Membrane Surface (TMS) as a lightweight structure is significantly influenced by environmental factors such as wind load. Only a few studies have been conducted to elucidate the effect of wind load on the internal forces, deformation, and stresses on a TMS, whereas the majority of contributions have concentrated on form-finding analyses and the structural performance of TMS structures. The most difficult part in the structural design of a TMS is the realistic estimation of wind load. In the current study, we performed fluid–structure interaction (FSI) analysis for an umbrella TMS considering practical uncertainties such as wind directions and flow effect for a group of structures. The lack of comprehensive standard codes is a great motivation for assessing the performance of TMSs under wind load. The Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) technique is widely employed to simulate the effects of airflow around buildings and special structures. The validation example was performed in an experimental test to verify the CFD simulation results by using both steady-state and transient wind simulations. The results of the aerodynamic simulation and FSI analysis include the wind pressure value, deformation, stress, and strain. This experiment was carried out on a single TMS with regard to various wind directions and a group of TMS umbrellas. The reduction value, especially for the uplift drag force component (Fz) of structural responses, was obtained for the group of structures. Furthermore, the impact of large deformation on the wind pressure coefficient was investigated, showing critical changes compared to the rigid approach, especially in suction zones. The results of the current CFD simulation were compared with the experimental test and show good agreement in terms of predicting the effect of air flow on TMS.