Wind turbulence generation using text-based input files

For a more robust and time-efficient Matlab implementation, see https://se.mathworks.com/matlabcentral/fileexchange/68632-wind-field-simulation-the-fast-version.

Summary

A method to simulate spatially correlated turbulent wind histories is implemented following [1,2]. Two possible vertical wind profiles and two possible wind spectra are implemented. The user is free to implement new ones. The wind co-coherence is a simple exponential decay as done by Davenport [3]. If the wind field is simulated in a grid, the function windSim.m should be used (cf. Examples 1 and 2). For a more complex geometry, such as a radial grid, the function windSim.m has an optional parameter to include two inputs (cf. Example3.mlx): The first one contains the wind properties, and the second one contains the coordinates of the nodes where wind histories are simulated (cf. Example 3).

Content

The folder windSim.zip contains:

• 1 input file INPUT.txt for Example1.m
• 1 input file INPUT_MAST.txt for Example2.m
• 2 input files windData.txt and circle.txt for Example3.m
• The function windSim.m
• 4 examples files Example1.m, Example2.m, Example3.m and Example4.m
• The function coherence.m that computes the co-coherence. Notes:
• Simulating the wind field in a high number of points with a high sampling frequency may take a lot of time.
• This code aims to be highly customizable
• A faster version of the present submission has been used to simulate the turbulent wind load on a floating suspension bridge [4].

References

[1] Shinozuka, M., Monte Carlo solution of structural dynamics, Computers and Structures, Vol. 2, 1972, pp. 855 – 874

[2] Deodatis, G., Simulation of ergodic multivariate stochastic processes, Journal of Engineering Mechanics, ASCE, Vol. 122 No. 8, 1996, pp. 778 – 787.

[3] Davenport, A. G. (1961), The spectrum of horizontal gustiness near the ground in high winds. Q.J.R. Meteorol. Soc., 87: 194–211

[4] Wang, J., Cheynet, E., Snæbjörnsson, J. Þ., & Jakobsen, J. B. (2018). Coupled aerodynamic and hydrodynamic response of a long span bridge suspended from floating towers. Journal of Wind Engineering and Industrial Aerodynamics, 177, 19-31.