Advanced and Robust Analysis of Wind Effects
Advanced and Robust Analysis of Wind Effects
We would like to extend our congratulations to Besley & Spresser on receiving the National Commercial Medal at the Concrete Institute of Australia 2025 Excellence in Concrete Awards for the Pier Pavilion at Barangaroo. Windtech is delighted to have collaborated with B&S, delivering tailored wind tunnel studies for this unique harbourside hub. The Pavilion is a striking architectural landmark designed to inspire both connection and creativity.
As part of our involvement in the Pier Pavilion at Barangaroo, Windtech conducted a Pedestrian Wind Environment Wind Tunnel Study to assess wind conditions at key outdoor areas within and around the development. Testing was carried out at Windtech’s boundary layer wind tunnel facility using a 1:400 scale model of the Pavilion. The wind tunnel study confirmed that wind conditions across the critical outdoor locations would be suitable for their intended use, with no adverse impacts identified.
In addition, Windtech provided valuable inputs for the determination of wind loading for the structural design of the Pavilion
Ready to tackle your next complex wind engineering challenge? Discover how Windtech’s innovative wind tunnel studies can transform your project’s performance and efficiency. Please contact our regional offices through our Contact Us page.
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Figure 1: Perspective Image of Terminal F at Dallas-Fort Worth Airport
When Dallas Fort Worth International Airport set out to build Terminal F, it wasn’t just adding another gate; it was engineering a solution to handle 100 million passengers annually by 2030. However, with a massive long-span roof and a complex skylink system, traditional wind load calculations wouldn’t suffice.
That’s where Windtech Consultants stepped in, working alongside PGAL Architects, Innovation Next+, and Turner to solve what would become one of the most sophisticated wind engineering challenges in modern airport design, using state-of-the-art wind tunnel testing.
Terminal F presented a unique engineering puzzle. The expansive terminal structure and elevated skylink system created complex wind interaction patterns that standard approaches couldn’t adequately predict. The long-span upper roof, positioned at the terminal’s heart, demanded a level of precision essential for the project’s structural efficiency.
Traditional analysis methods would have resulted in overly conservative designs, which would have driven up costs and potentially compromised the architectural vision. The team needed something better.
Windtech adopted the multi-sector analysis technique, which is the most rigorous method of combining the wind tunnel testing pressure coefficient data with the local wind climate model. In addition, the area-averaging method was used to accurately determine the loading on the main structural members, an industry-recognised approach for translating detailed wind tunnel testing data into actionable design loads. Rather than focusing on isolated peak pressures at individual points, the area-averaging method considers the combined effect of pressures distributed across larger panels of the structure as indicated in Figure 2. This provides a more realistic representation of how these large structural members experience wind actions.
By carefully defining representative panel sizes and shapes across the terminal envelope, our team delivered wind-induced load cases that accurately reflect the building’s true behaviour under extreme winds from different directions. The outcome: reliable, rationalised pressure distributions that give the structural engineer confidence, avoid overly conservative assumptions, and contribute to a more efficient, cost-effective design.
Figure 2. Panel Layout for Roof of Sector 604 of Terminal F at DFW
The scope extended far beyond structural loads. Windtech conducted exhaustive facade cladding pressure studies across every surface of both the terminal and skylink system, ensuring no detail was overlooked. A comprehensive wind tunnel testing process and wind microclimate assessment evaluated how the new terminal would affect ground-level conditions, protecting passenger comfort and operational efficiency.
Figure 3. Wind Tunnel Testing Model Terminal F at DFW
Aviation projects face a unique challenge that most buildings don’t: Federal Aviation Administration oversight of solar reflectivity. Terminal F’s modern facade and rooftop photovoltaic arrays required careful analysis to prevent solar glint and glare from affecting pilots during critical approach and departure phases.
Windtech’s Solar Light Reflectivity Analysis identified potential problem areas and guided design modifications, ensuring full FAA compliance while maintaining the terminal’s striking architectural aesthetic.
Terminal F now stands as a testament to what’s possible when advanced engineering meets ambitious architecture. The project demonstrates how thoughtful wind tunnel testing and wind engineering can unlock architectural possibilities while delivering measurable value through improved structural efficiency. For an industry where safety, performance, and cost-effectiveness are non-negotiable, Terminal F represents the future of intelligent design.
Ready to tackle your next complex wind engineering challenge? Discover how Windtech’s innovative wind tunnel testing approaches can transform your project’s performance and efficiency. Please contact our regional offices through our Contact Us page.
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Located in the wind-exposed coastal environment of Surfers Paradise, the Cypress Avenue Towers are a landmark high-rise development that demonstrates how performance-based wind engineering can unlock value across design, construction, and long-term operational performance. With Towers 1 and 2 reaching heights of 304 and 261 metres respectively, the complex presented unique engineering challenges.
Windtech Consultants provided a comprehensive suite of services. The team engaged at every stage of the design process—from initial form-finding and code compliance assessments to detailed testing for structural and cladding performance, stack effect, paver uplift, and comfort conditions. Each tower was evaluated under multiple staging scenarios using scaled wind tunnel models and high-resolution proprietary pressure instrumentation. The result was a suite of tailored wind engineering solutions that informed nearly every major design decision.
This project is a clear example of how early engagement with an experienced wind engineering team, such as Windtech, can yield significant dividends in design efficiency, cost savings, and quality outcomes. Developer Meriton, acutely aware of these benefits, sought Windtech’s input from the outset.
At approximately 303 metres (993 feet), the tallest of the Cypress Avenue Towers is set to become the second-tallest building in Australia by highest occupiable floor. With an aspect ratio of 11:1, it posed particular aerodynamic and structural challenges. Windtech initiated the project by reviewing three alternative tower massings, ultimately identifying a preferred scheme due to its superior aerodynamic performance, which resulted in structural cost savings per unit area. This recommendation, backed by preliminary desktop assessments, was adopted by the client and confirmed via wind tunnel testing.
Structural form and wind loads were assessed using Windtech’s hybrid aeroelastic model, offering higher accuracy and cost-effectiveness over the simple aeroelastic models. This method captured positive aerodynamic damping effects, which reduced the overall peak response by 6%. Motion along the tower’s weaker axis was also mitigated through a cost-neutral solution involving the shaping of two 67,000-litre rooftop fire hydrant tanks to act as tuned liquid dampers.
Windtech collaborated closely with the structural engineering team to refine the dynamic response of the towers under wind loading. High-Frequency Pressure Integration (HFPI) testing was conducted on a 1:400 scale model with 36 wind directions and realistic terrain features. Each tower was assessed under three scenarios—Staged, Proposed, and Future—providing comprehensive data on wind demands over time.
Compared to AS1170.2:2021 estimates, wind tunnel-derived ULS base moments for the critical cross-wind governed responses were reduced by 36% to 77%. Torsion loads were reduced by 45% to 60%.
These reductions enabled the design team to optimise structural systems, including shear wall thickness and core reinforcement. Besides the performance-based benefits, the Australian code would not permit a code-based design for the development of this height and slenderness.
Serviceability limit state (SLS) displacements remained within H/500 in all directions, confirming sufficient stiffness without overdesign. Peak accelerations remained within comfort thresholds, with sensitivity analysis provided to demonstrate the effect of variations in frequency, mass, and damping, thereby showing robust design performance.
Importantly, the staged analysis confirmed minimal adverse interactions between towers, validating the phased construction strategy without requiring significant redesign.
Damping requirements were evaluated to ensure occupant comfort, with detailed analysis confirming that no supplemental damping was required at the design stage. However, the foundation was laid for future design decisions should damping solutions become necessary. A decision was made by Meriton, as developer, to shape the fire hydrant tanks to act as tuned liquid dampers to provide an added level of amenity over and above the stipulated criteria, understanding that human sensitivity to building motion varies substantially from one person to another.
Windtech’s pressure study used 1,311 sensors on a 1:400 scale model tested under both Proposed and Future conditions. Data from 36 wind directions was weighted using long-term Bureau of Meteorology data.
Key findings:
Windtech also used surface pressure coefficients to calculate annual mean pressures on HVAC vents and assess paver uplift. These coefficients fed into the stack effect analysis and informed waterproofing detailing.
Wind environment testing targeted the ground plane, podium, and balcony zones. Gust velocities were compared to thresholds for seating, standing and walking comfort.
Wind mitigations included strategic placement of screens, planting as well as positioning of pergolas and gazebos on the podium. In addition, vertical blade walls were introduced for the colonnade and porous screening on sections of the podium enclosing the car parking areas. These interventions were validated by comparative re-testing.
Windtech modelled the stack effects generated under the 99-percentile extreme winter and summer temperatures and with the corresponding high and low wind conditions. Stack effect study identified pressures exceeding the 50Pa capacity of the lift doors at the top floor of the shorter tower (Level 76) as well as a wind entry issue for the entry to the taller tower from podium (Level 6).
For Level 76 of the shorter tower, pressures were mitigated by eliminating lift doors and providing stair access from Level 75 to the private rooftop terraces. Wind entry issues at the entry to the taller tower from the podium were resolved using a canopy and side screens.
Windtech assessed local uplift of the proposed pedestal paver tiles, accounting for the partial pressure equalisation of the proposed paver system (referring to Windtech’s library of its own full-scale test data). The report recommended that the 600×600-20mm pavers (cavity depths ranges from 25mm to 130mm) be interconnected in groups of at least 2 x 3 to be able to resist uplift.
A comprehensive wind noise review was undertaken, examining potential noise from louvres, breeze walls, and balcony screens. Recommendations were made for the internal partition walls and internal doors to avoid them generating noise during high wind event. Minor design changes were proposed to the balcony screen arrangements to prevent Helmholtz resonance.
Windtech’s holistic approach has resulted in a high-quality, integrated and efficient design:
Windtech’s contribution to the Cypress Avenue Towers underscores the value of comprehensive, high-quality, integrated wind engineering. Across structural, façade, mechanical, and environmental comfort domains, Windtech’s unmatched depth of experience and rigorous testing enabled a high-quality design outcome.
This performance-based approach reduced conservatism, improved buildability, and enhanced the occupant experience. The Cypress Avenue Towers exemplify how tall buildings can be designed not just to resist wind, but to provide a positive all-around experience for the occupants.
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Figure 1. Photo of Jio World Centre (Courtesy of Reliance)
In the dynamic heart of Mumbai’s financial district stands a project that marries ambition with performance, the Jio World Centre, formerly known as the Dhirubhai Ambani International Convention and Exhibition Centre (DAICEC). The development is as complex as iconic with its expansive exhibition halls, elevated towers, lush terraces, and vibrant public spaces. Behind its iconic form lies the work of a dedicated team of wind engineers, whose precision-driven analysis helped transform this mega-development into a model of comfort, resilience, and sustainability.
The Jio World Centre has been envisioned as a platform where the best of India and the world converge. Nita Mukesh. Ambani, Founder and Managing Director of Reliance Industries Limited (RIL), articulated this vision: “A tribute to our glorious nation, we hope that the Jio World Centre will be a platform where the best of India and the world will meet. A place for cultures and communities to come together and script a new chapter in India’s growth story.”
Since its launch, the Jio World Centre has hosted numerous significant events. As reported by the International Congress and Convention Association (ICCA)
“In the fiscal year 2022-23, Jio World Centre hosted over 800 events, generating a footfall of 1,900,000+. This comprised a diverse mix of conventions, exhibitions, corporate meetings, product launches along with social and live events.” Subsequent has seen growth in these numbers.
Figure 2. Image of Jio World Centre being tested in one of Windtech’s Wind Tunnels
But behind the architecture is a deeper engineering narrative driven by performance, precision, and sustainability. As experienced wind engineers, Windtech Consultants ensured that every development component, structural, façade, and environmental, was rigorously tested and optimised for real-world wind conditions. What resulted was a textbook example of how performance-based design can drive down material wastage, construction costs, and embodied carbon, all while enhancing comfort and safety.
“Our aim wasn’t just to meet minimum design requirements—it was to help the design team realise their architectural vision without compromise, while also reducing structural inefficiencies and environmental impact,” said Aaron Lefcovitch, Director at Windtech Consultants.
Located in Mumbai’s Bandra Kurla Complex, the development is surrounded by high-rise neighbours like the Bharat Diamond Bourse, the Trident Hotel, and the U.S. Consulate. Its proximity to Mahim Bay and Mumbai’s complex wind climate presented a unique set of aerodynamic challenges. With monsoonal gusts, dense urban roughness, and pedestrian-level sensitivities, wind effects must be understood in all dimensions.
Windtech began by creating a 1:400 scale physical model of the entire precinct, including a 500 m-radius proximity model of surrounding buildings. The model was tested in Windtech’s 3.0 m-wide boundary layer wind tunnel, which simulates real-world atmospheric wind flow. Each test was conducted with a high level of fidelity, informed by many years of meteorological data from Mumbai’s Santacruz station.
Figure 3. Aaron Lefcovitch, Director (Left) and Anjana Krishna, Senior Project Manager (Right), Windtech
Structural safety was paramount, but so was economy and sustainability. Windtech conducted a full suite of wind-induced structural load studies for this multi-tower development using the pressure integration technique. Over 991 sensors on the towers captured time-synchronised wind pressures across 36 wind directions.
Rather than relying on overly conservative code-based estimations, we delivered a performance-based design approach that provided realistic wind forces on the tower based on its actual geometry,” Aaron explained. “This allowed structural engineers to reduce reinforcement, concrete volumes, and member sizes where appropriate, without compromising safety and economy.”
Figure 4. Photo of Jio World Centre (Courtesy of JWCC)
This targeted approach reduced the total structural material quantities, contributing directly to lower embodied carbon and construction cost savings. Importantly, the loads captured dynamic interactions between the towers and podium, allowing engineers to avoid overdesign while ensuring structural resilience.
Windtech also performed an extensive façade cladding pressure study for the 50-year return period wind event. This included testing 1,081 façade sensors and 438 differential pressure pairs to capture net pressures across parapets, crown features, awnings, soffits, and cooling towers.
The results were presented as detailed pressure zoning diagrams, pinpointing high-pressure “hot spots” versus low-stress regions. This enabled the façade consultants to tailor the thickness and fixing of cladding materials only where needed, rather than applying conservative assumptions uniformly.
“If you know exactly where the wind loads peak—and where they don’t—you can design smarter,” said Aaron. “This approach reduced steel and aluminium use across the façade systems, which not only saved money but also reduced the carbon footprint of the building envelope.”
The study also accounted for internal pressurisation effects from exhaust vents, louvers, and leakage paths, ensuring that pressure coefficients used in design were realistic, not idealised.
Windtech’s Pedestrian Wind Environment (PWE) study focused on ensuring all outdoor areas, from terraces to ground-level pathways, met comfort and safety thresholds under annual and weekly maximum wind conditions. This involved measuring both mean and gust wind speeds at key pedestrian zones.
Initial testing identified a few high-wind areas, particularly around elevated balconies and roof terraces. Rather than overhauling the design, Windtech proposed strategic wind amelioration features, including:
Figure 5. Pedestrian Wind Comfort Criteria, Results & Treatments for Level 12 Office Tower Terrace
These recommendations were retested and refined in the tunnel, resulting in a verified improvement to comfort conditions. The interventions were subtle, yet effective, allowing for open-air amenity spaces without excessive enclosure or visual obstruction.
One of the most nuanced studies undertaken was Windtech’s investigation of internal wind flows through over 300 serviced apartments and atrium spaces.
Windtech predicted mean internal air velocities for various opening configurations by combining external pressure data with internal layout geometry. The goal was to ensure that indoor spaces remained calm, safe, and free from disruptive drafts, even during peak weekly wind conditions.
All results showed compliance with occupant comfort thresholds, with mean internal velocities below 1 m/s. This reassured the design team that natural ventilation strategies could be implemented without causing discomfort or interior disruption.
“Internal airflow control is often overlooked—but it’s critical to the livability of high-rise spaces, especially in humid climates like Mumbai,” Aaron noted.
Across each study, Windtech worked with Reliance Industries, architects, structural consultants, and façade engineers. The collaborative environment empowered real-time design iterations, where proposed mitigations could be tested and validated without delay.
“Reliance had a strong vision, but they also valued technical input,” said Aaron. “They weren’t afraid to test, question, and refine. That’s the kind of mindset that leads to landmark developments.”
From structure to skin and street to skyline, the wind engineering strategies embedded in the Jio World Centre reflect a sustainability-forward approach grounded in data, discipline, and dialogue.
By embracing performance-based wind tunnel testing, the project team achieved:
The result is a building that performs as beautifully as it looks, resilient, refined, and ready for decades of safe, sustainable use.
If you are working on any projects that could benefit from the capabilities presented in this article, please contact our regional office via our Contact Us page.
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As the building and construction industry evolves in response to climate imperatives, the focus is rapidly expanding beyond operational efficiency to include embodied carbon—the emissions associated with the materials and construction processes used to bring a building to life.
Governments, certification bodies, and developers worldwide are setting ambitious targets for carbon reduction. Yet one often-overlooked contributor to embodied carbon savings is the wind engineer. By optimising a building’s aerodynamic performance early in the design process, it’s possible to reduce the structural demands—and in turn, the materials needed—without compromising on design or functionality.
At Windtech Consultants, we’ve worked on over 3,000 projects globally and have found that strategic aerodynamic interventions and advanced methods can lead to construction cost savings and embodied carbon reductions of 10–20% or more.
The call for embodied carbon reduction is coming from all corners of the world. Here are just a few examples of frameworks driving this change:
These policies represent a growing shift: it’s not just how we operate buildings that matters—it’s how we build them.
The link between wind loads and structural materials is direct. Higher wind loads require heavier structural systems, which increases both cost and embodied carbon—especially in concrete and steel.
By engaging wind engineers early in the design process, developers can make subtle form adjustments or staging decisions that reduce wind loads, allowing the structure to be leaner, lighter, and lower in emissions.
13,100 Tons of Embodied Carbon Saved Through Aerodynamic Refinement
SRG Tower, a 350-metre residential tower in Dubai’s city core, exemplifies how early aerodynamic optimisation can drive down embodied carbon.
Figure 1. Coherent Vortex Shedding of a Square Plan Building
The original scheme featured a square plan with an extremely slender profile (aspect ratio 12:1), rising to 1150 feet. Wind tunnel testing revealed significant cross-wind excitation—particularly around the 310° wind direction, which aligns with Dubai’s prevailing wind. The issue was traced to vortex-induced oscillation, a common phenomenon in slender towers, where wind vortices shed alternately from either side of the building, causing sway.
Figure 2. Response Spectra Showing Excitation at 310° and Adjacent Angles
The architect and developer were averse to significant alterations to the architectural form, which constrained Windtech to find a more subtle solution. The team ruled out using tuned mass dampers, reducing the building height, or implementing large cutouts due to concerns over cost, delays, and loss of floor area.
Windtech proposed a dual-strategy approach:
Figure 3. Recommended Corner Chamfers
2. Open Service Floors – Strategic placement of open floors at specific levels allowed the wind to pass through, further reducing the dynamic suction effect on side walls. The number of such floors was minimised to maintain leasable area and building efficiency.
Figure 4. Recommended Blow-through Holes
A parametric study involving six different treatment configurations was performed using a single physical model, cleverly adapted with masking tape to toggle configurations. This enabled rapid testing and accurate comparisons.
Figure 5. Parametric Study of 6 Design Options (Red: Corner Chamfer)
This was accomplished without changing the building’s visual identity. This case is a textbook example of how wind engineers can work within tight design constraints and still deliver major carbon savings.
14,200 Tons of Embodied Carbon Avoided with a Simple Change in Construction Staging
In a separate Dubai-based development, Windtech’s wind engineers were engaged to study a high-rise precinct involving several towers of varying height and orientation. Upon testing, one tower—Tower 2—displayed unexpected wind-induced excitation at the 290° wind direction.
Figure 6. Image of Marina Gate, Dubai is one of Windtech’s Wind Tunnels
Initial analysis showed that the tower wasn’t being excited by its own shape, but rather by interference effects from nearby completed towers, particularly the adjacent Cayan Tower and Damac Heights.
Figure 7. Interference Excitation Caused by Cayan Tower and Damac Heights
The response levels exceeded acceptable comfort and performance thresholds, and without intervention, would have required a costly and time-consuming redesign. This could have meant thicker core walls, more structural bracing, or even changes to the tower’s height or orientation—all options with significant embodied carbon implications.
However, there was a twist: Tower 2 was scheduled to be built before Tower 3, even though Tower 3 was positioned in such a way that it could disrupt the wake turbulence causing the problem.
Windtech proposed a simple but effective solution—reverse the phasing and build Tower 3 first.
Figure 8. Revised Construction Sequencing
When tested with Tower 3 in place, the aerodynamic interference was drastically reduced:
This avoided a complete overhaul of the structural design and saved both time and materials.
This case highlights how a minor change in construction sequence—guided by wind engineering analysis—can deliver major sustainability wins with no impact on design or project schedule.
Windtech’s work across Asia, the Middle East, Europe, and North America has shown that the best carbon reduction strategies are often the least disruptive. Tools we commonly use include:
When applied at the concept or schematic stage, these strategies can significantly improve the project bottom line, reduce the amount of embodied carbon and avoid post-design fixes or costly retrofits.
As the global building industry works toward carbon neutrality, embodied carbon is becoming a central concern. The wind engineer—once seen primarily as a compliance partner for occupant comfort—is now emerging as a key ally in achieving net-zero carbon goals.
When developers engage wind engineers early, they unlock the opportunity to:
At Windtech, we believe in designing smarter, not heavier. As we move toward a low-carbon future, the role of the wind engineer will only become more critical in ensuring that buildings are both resilient and responsible.
If you are working on any projects that could benefit from the capabilities presented in this article, please reach out to our regional office via our Contact Us page.
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