RWDI Anemos plays key role in "3 little pigs research project"
RWDI Anemos are delighted to be playing an important role in a pioneering Canadian research project led by the University of Western Ontario into wind effects on low-rise buildings using novel wind simulators being developed by Cambridge Consultants in the UK. A new University of Western Ontario research centre - known as 'The Three Little Pigs' facility - will for the first time permit the controlled application of realistic wind loads to full-scale houses. The research is expected to lead to more formalised techniques for weather-proofing low-rise buildings which - unlike their high-rise counterparts - are 'non engineered' and tend to use vaguely-defined structures. The research will help to deliver protection against evolving weather hazards by providing the know-how to improve building codes and quality control strategies.
"No one has attempted real-world wind simulation on this scale before, so much of the instrumentation will be developed specially for the application", says Eric Wilkinson, head of Cambridge Consultants' Products and Systems Business Unit. "One of the key challenges is the creation of a custom control system architecture, to handle the large number of interconnected wind simulators, and deliver the real-time performance required."
Realistic wind simulation will be provided by pressure boxes that are able to apply positive or negative wind forces over a +5 to -20 kilopascals range, combined with a fast-acting valve system that allows the simulated wind pressure to reverse direction at rates up to seven times a second. UWO's deep understanding of wind patterns will use this technology to create and apply realistic 'wind profiles' onto a range of full-size structures.
RWDI-Anemos - the leading wind-engineering consultancy - whose Director Nicholas Cook was one of the designers of the seminal Brer Wulf project - is helping Cambridge Consultants to develop the new pressure boxes and control scheme, by providing expert local advice on wind loading effects. Paul Freathy, Managing Director of RWDI Anemos, comments: "Damage to non-engineered buildings remains a significant financial burden on the economy. Although individual incidents are often minor, insurance statistics show that weather damage averages out to about £700 million per year in the UK alone. RWDI Anemos is delighted to be able to contribute to this important research project; using our knowledge of the Brer Wulf concept and expertise in wind loading and failure studies to help develop better buildings for the future."
Dr Michael Bartlett, Associate Professor at the University of Western Ontario and Principal Investigator of The Three Little Pigs Project, comments: "The entire research team is delighted to be working with Cambridge Consultants. We are confident that with the combination of Cambridge Consultants and RWDI Anemos we are working with the most qualified group in the world to develop this complex system."
