The characteristics of atmospheric turbulence as related to wind loads on tall structures
Meteorological data for developing engineering boundary layer wind model of gust loads on structures
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Meteorological data for developing engineering boundary layer wind model of gust loads on structures
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Given the multi-scale variability and uncertainty of wind generation and forecast errors, it is a natural choice to use time-frequency representation (TFR) as a view of the corresponding time series represented over both time and frequency. Here we use wavelet transform (WT) to expand the signal in terms of wavelet functions which are localized in both time and frequency. Each WT component is more stationary and has consistent auto-correlation pattern. We combined wavelet analyses with time series forecast approaches such as ARIMA, and tested the approach at three different wind farms located far away from each other. The prediction capability is satisfactory -- the day-ahead prediction of errors match the original error values very well, including the patterns. The observations are well located within the predictive intervals. Integrating our wavelet-ARIMA (‘stochastic’) model with the weather forecast model (‘deterministic’) will improve our ability significantly to predict wind power generation and reduce predictive uncertainty.
Wind-Tunnel to Full-Scale Mapping of Winds and Loads for Launch-Vehicle Ground Wind Loads
The complex nature of the random aerodynamic input forces associated with transonic buffet and ground winds leads to difficulty in analytical treatment of the response of launch vehicles to these important loading conditions. The application of aeroelastically scaled models in the wind tunnel as a mechanical analog of the matharnatically complex problem requiring solution is described. Scaling relationships involved in this approach are developed and some checks on their validity are presented. Model design and support techniques are discussed, and some typical results given. Some problems arising from the increased size of launch vehicles are discussed.
Atmospheric turbulence characteristics related to drag loads of tall spacecraft structures by boundary layer wind model
An active damper system which was originally developed for a 5.5% Saturn IB/Skylab Ground Winds Model was modified and used for similar purposes in a Space Shuttle model. A second damper system which was originally used in a 3% Saturn V/Dry Workshop model was also modified and made compatible with the Space Shuttle model to serve as a back-up system. Included in this final report are descriptions of the modified damper systems and the associated control and instrumentation.
A digital computer program is described which was developed to estimate Saturn 5 response to prelaunch wind conditions at Cape Kennedy. The program computes displacement and bending moment statistics as a function of parameters defining the atmospheric environment. A sample problem is provided to illustrate utilization of the program.
A launch vehicle ground-wind-loads program was conducted at the NASA Langley Transonic Dynamics Tunnel. The objectives were to quantify key aerodynamic and structural characteristics that impact the occurrence of large wind-induced oscillations of a launch vehicle when exposed to ground winds prior to launch. Of particular interest is the dynamic response of a launch vehicle when a von Kármán vortex street forms in the wake of the vehicle resulting in quasiperiodic lift and drag forces.Vehicle response to these quasiperiodic forces can become quite large when the frequency of vortex shedding nears that of a lowly-damped structural mode thereby exciting a resonant response. The study of ground-wind-loads presents unique challenges to quantify significant characteristics of the approaching wind and to relate the wind-tunnel acquired static, dynamic, and gravitational loads to full-scale vehicles. This paper will explain the correlation process between model-scale and full-scale wind characteristics and resulting structural loads. Characterization of the wind at a launch site requires knowledge of the vehicle dynamics and the anemometer performance. Vehicle dynamics dictate the frequency range of interest in characterization of the atmospheric turbulence, and in defining the required data window-length to model dynamic oscillation build-up during wind-gust analysis. Knowledge of the anemometer performance is required to infer peak wind magnitudes since most anemometers cannot directly measure instantaneous peak values. Following proper wind-speed correlation, static and dynamic wind-tunnel loads must be converted to full-scale equivalent values to derive design and operational guidance. In addition to the direct computation of full-scale equivalent loads using relevant scaling parameters, the corrections applied to dynamic loads accounting for differences in structural damping will also be discussed. Furthermore, a phenomenon that manifests in many slender and flexible launch vehicles is a load magnification due to gravity resulting from mass offset under deflection. A method for scaling this contribution from model-scale to full-scale is presented. Finally, a comparison of wind-tunnel derived loads using the described methodologies to launch vehicle measured loads is presented.
A launch vehicle ground-wind-loads program was conducted at the NASA Langley Transonic Dynamics Tunnel. The objectives were to quantify key aerodynamic and structural characteristics that impact the occurrence of large wind-induced oscillations of a launch vehicle when exposed to ground winds prior to launch. Of particular interest is the dynamic response of a launch vehicle when a von Kármán vortex street forms in the wake of the vehicle resulting in quasiperiodic lift and drag forces. Vehicle response to these quasiperiodic forces can become quite large when the frequency of vortex shedding nears that of a lowly-damped structural mode thereby exciting a resonant response. The study of ground-wind-loads presents unique challenges to quantify significant characteristics of the approaching wind and to relate the wind-tunnel acquired static, dynamic, and gravitational loads to full-scale vehicles. This paper will explain the correlation process between model-scale and full-scale wind characteristics and resulting structural loads. Characterization of the wind at a launch site requires knowledge of the vehicle dynamics and the anemometer performance. Vehicle dynamics dictate the frequency range of interest in characterization of the atmospheric turbulence, and in defining the required data window-length to model dynamic oscillation build-up during wind-gust analysis. Knowledge of the anemometer performance is required to infer peak wind magnitudes since most anemometers cannot directly measure instantaneous peak values. Following proper wind-speed correlation, static and dynamic wind-tunnel loads must be converted to full-scale equivalent values to derive design and operational guidance. In addition to the direct computation of full-scale equivalent loads using relevant scaling parameters, the corrections applied to dynamic loads accounting for differences in structural damping will also be discussed. Furthermore, a phenomenon that manifests in many slender and flexible launch vehicles is a load magnification due to gravity resulting from mass offset under deflection. A method for scaling this contribution from model-scale to full-scale is presented. Finally, a comparison of wind-tunnel derived loads using the described methodologies to launch vehicle measured loads is presented.
A numerical simulation of a tornado interacting with a building was undertaken in order to compare the pressures due to a rotational unsteady wind with that due to steady straight winds used in design of nuclear facilities. The numerical simulations were performed on a two-dimensional compressible hydrodynamics code. Calculated pressure profiles for a typical building were then subjected to a tornado wind field and the results were compared with current quasisteady design calculations. The analysis indicates that current design practices are conservative.
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An aerodynamic database for the crew access arm during deployment is generated. While initial attempts used data derived from wind tunnel testing, limitations lead to the use of computational fluid dynamics to improve analysis. This computational data compared favorably to the experimental data increasing confidence in both. Further analysis lead to simplification showing the ability to build the database with a single relative wind variable which takes into account both arm deployment angle and wind direction. Eventually geometric simplifications and conservative results lead to the use of simulations of the CAA alone to build the database.Finally these static conditions are then compared to a dynamic simulation where the CAA rotates into position to test the quasi-steady state assumptions used to generate the database. The dynamic case showed an increase in the moment of interest but within acceptable bounds for now.
Method of simulating probabilistic windloads on building developed. Numerical results of simulation used to assess reliability of building and risk associated with tendencies of large gusts or high steady winds to cause building to sway, buckle, and/or overturn. Using method to analyze proposed design in iterative design cycle, building designed for specified reliability.
The design, fabrication, and adaptation of a model damper system to the 5.5% aeroelastic model of the Saturn 1B/Skylab launch vehicle are reported. The damper is dynamically calibrated over the desired range of additive damping for model conditions prior to wind tunnel testing.