CFD simulation analysis of building density on residential wind environment

Abstract

With the rapid urbanization and expansion of construction demands in China, the continuously increasing density of residential buildings has led to outdoor pedestrian discomfort in residential wind environment. To analyze the relationship between residential building density and wind environment, simulation cases of residential buildings with different building densities were presented in this study. First, the wind environment characteristics of residential districts with different building densities were established via computer numerical simulation. Second, wind speed ratio (WSR) and age of air (AA) distribution were calculated at pedestrian height. Finally, the quantitative relationship between residential outdoor wind environment and building density was proposed. Results demonstrate a negative linear correlation between the building density and outdoor mean wind speed ratio (MWSR) of residential districts and a positive linear relationship between building density and mean age of air (MAA). When residential building density increased from 0.18 to 0.32, the MWSR in the district decreased by 0.18, whereas MAA increased by 58.63 s. As residential building density increases, the WSR within the residential district decreases and the age of air (AA) increases, which affect the outdoor comfort of residents. This study provides references for improving the wind environment of high-density residential districts and for optimizing residential layout planning.