Innovative large-scale open-jet testing to address grand challenges in resilient and sustainable built environments

In the face of escalating windstorm impact exacerbated by climate change, building resilience is paramount, particularly in hurricane-prone regions like the southeastern US. This paper presents large-scale aerodynamic experiments to enhance building resilience. Challenges in accurately replicating wind flow characteristics in wall-bounded laboratory settings are addressed, emphasizing the critical role of complete turbulence, Reynolds number, and scale effects. The methodology utilizes the Louisiana State University (LSU) open-jet facility to produce complete turbulence at a large scale, eliminating the need for corrections accompanied by partial turbulence simulation. Advanced instrumentation and rigorous validation procedures ensure the reliability and robustness of experimental results. The paper emphasizes the superiority of large-scale open-jet testing, underscoring its critical role in designing resilient structures. Through comprehensive testing, the paper sheds light on significant insights into the aerodynamic behavior of low-rise buildings, focusing on mean and peak pressure distributions. The LSU open-jet facility’s unique capabilities hold immense promise for revolutionizing wind engineering, addressing grand challenges, and creating more resilient and sustainable infrastructure. These capabilities pave the way for transformative advancements in various domains, including urban planning, offshore wind energy, aerospace safety, and sustainable infrastructure development. Open-jet testing emerges as a critical tool to advance wind engineering practices and foster interdisciplinary collaborations to mitigate the impacts of windstorms and promote resilient and sustainable built environments.