TITLE:
A Review of Wind Tunnel Test Technologies for High-Rise Buildings: Classification, Principles, and Engineering Applications
AUTHORS:
Guoqiang Fu, Shaofeng Yao, Menglan Liu, Zhikun Xu, Hanhui Yu
KEYWORDS:
High-Rise Buildings, Wind Tunnel Tests, Rigid Models, Aeroelastic Models, Aeroelastic Effects, Wind-Induced Response
JOURNAL NAME:
World Journal of Engineering and Technology,
Vol.13 No.4,
November
17,
2025
ABSTRACT: With super high-rise buildings developing towards characteristics of low damping, light weight, and high flexibility, their wind-induced vibration and aeroelastic effects have become key challenges in structural wind-resistant design. Due to the complex fluid-structure interaction phenomena involved in aeroelastic effects, theoretical derivation and computational fluid dynamics (CFD) methods have limitations. Wind tunnel test technology remains the core means for studying the wind-induced response of high-rise buildings. This paper systematically reviews the classification system, core principles, and engineering applications of wind tunnel test technologies for high-rise building models: based on whether aerodynamic feedback between the incoming flow and the structure is considered, the technologies are divided into two major categories—rigid model tests and aeroelastic model tests—which are further subdivided into sub-technologies such as high-frequency force balance (HFFB) base force measurement, synchronous multi-point static pressure measurement (SMPSS), aeroelastic vibration measurement, synchronous vibration-pressure measurement, and forced vibration tests. The test principles, typical research cases, and applicable scenarios of various technologies are elaborated in detail, and their advantages and limitations are compared and analyzed. Finally, aiming at the current technical bottlenecks, future optimization directions are proposed to provide theoretical references and engineering bases for the wind-resistant design of high-rise buildings and the iteration of wind tunnel test technologies.