AERODYNAMIC ANALYSIS OF TEMPORARY SHELTERS: EVALUATION OF A GEODESIC DOME IN A DIGITAL WIND TUNNEL
Abstract
The loss of housing due to natural disasters exposes vulnerable populations to precarious conditions, requiring the development of temporary shelters resistant to extreme weather events. The objective of this work is to evaluate the aerodynamic structural resistance of a temporary shelter in the shape of a geodesic dome against high-intensity winds, comparing it with a conventional container-shaped structure. The methodology consisted of Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) simulations using the RWIND software, simulating three scenarios based on the Beaufort Scale: strong gale (11 m/s), storm (18 m/s), and hurricane (33 m/s). The results demonstrated the superiority of the dome, which dissipated the airflow continuously and smoothly. Under 33 m/s winds, the dome registered a horizontal drag force (Fx) of only 2.497 kN, while the container reached a critical 45,994.6 kN, evidencing severe structural instability of the orthogonal geometry. It is concluded that the geodesic dome drastically reduces aerodynamic impacts, proving to be a highly viable and safe solution for risk areas, requiring only proper foundation sizing to resist vertical suction forces.
Author Biographies
Undergraduate student in Civil Engineering at São Paulo State University (UNESP), Bauru Campus, currently in the fourth year of the program.
School of Architecture, Arts, Communication and Design of Bauru, São Paulo State University (UNESP), Professor, Ph.D. in Engineering.
School of Architecture, Arts, Communication and Design of Bauru, São Paulo State University (UNESP), Professor, Ph.D. in Design.
Graduated in Mechanical Engineering from the School of Engineering of Bauru, São Paulo State University (UNESP) in 2004, and holds a Master's degree in Mechanical Engineering from the São Carlos School of Engineering, University of São Paulo (USP/EESC), obtained in 2008. Currently a Ph.D. candidate in Mechanical Engineering at São Paulo State University (UNESP), Bauru Campus. Permanent reviewer of the books AutoCAD 20XX – Utilizando Totalmente (Roquemar Baldan, Lourenço Costa, and Adriano de Oliveira) and Autodesk Inventor Professional 20XX – Teoria de Projetos, Modelagem, Simulação e Prática (Michele David da Cruz) since the 2010 edition.
Graduated in Mechanical Engineering from São Paulo State University "Júlio de Mesquita Filho" (UNESP) in 2009 and in Production Engineering from the Virtual University of the State of São Paulo (UNIVESP) in 2021. Currently serves as an Application Engineer at Petrobras Distribuidora S.A.
Professor with a Ph.D., teaching at both higher and technical education levels in Physics and Engineering, with expertise in Civil, Mechanical, Electrical, Mechatronics, Automation, Electrotechnical Engineering, Information Technology, and Computer Networks. Researcher in Fluid Mechanics, Rheology, and Magnetohydrodynamics. Holds a Bachelor's degree in Physics from UFSCar, a Master's and Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering from EESC/USP, a Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering from UNICEP, and a Licentiate degree in Physics from Uniasselvi. His work focuses on aerodynamics, computational simulation, control and automation, and power electronics.
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