Welcome back to Meteorology Matters,
where we explore the fascinating world of weather
and its impact on our lives.
Today we're diving into a topic that might just surprise you.
The power of wind and how sometimes
it's not the massive hurricanes
that cause the most damage to buildings,
but something else entirely.
You're right, it's not always the big headline
grabbing storms that pack the biggest punch.
Sometimes those fast moving lines of thunderstorms
can cause more damage to skyscrapers than a hurricane.
Exactly, and we've got a real head scratcher
of a case study to unpack today.
Oh, okay.
Houston 2024.
Right.
We had a directo, which is a widespread windstorm
ripped through the city in May.
Mm-hmm.
Then just a few weeks later,
hurricane barrel made landfall.
Okay.
The crazy thing is both events
had similar peak wind gusts,
but the damage they caused was dramatically different.
It is a real puzzle, isn't it?
Right.
And it shows that wind speed alone
doesn't tell the whole story.
Yeah.
And it doesn't consider other factors,
like duration direction and how those winds
interact with the buildings themselves.
Okay, so let's pay the picture for our listeners.
Right.
It's May 2024 in Houston,
and this directo rolls through.
Okay.
It's like a line of intense thunderstorms
packing some serious straight line winds.
Right.
Then in July, hurricane barrel comes along.
Both events had peak wind gusts in the same ballpark.
Okay.
But here's where it gets interesting.
The damage tells a very different story.
Okay, so what do we have?
Well, if we zoom out a bit.
Okay.
We have to remember that the impact of wind on a building
isn't just about how strong the wind is,
but how long that force is applied
and the angle at which it hits.
Right.
Think about pushing on a tall object.
A steady sustained push is different
from a series of rapid jabs, right?
That's a great analogy.
Okay, let's start and see where you're going with this.
Let's look at some real world examples to illustrate this.
Okay.
One that stands out is the Chevron Building Auditorium.
Not right.
This skyscraper took a beating during the direct go.
We're talking dislodged facade panels, shattered windows,
the whole nine yards.
But when hurricane barrel hit barely a scratch.
That's so interesting.
Now, why the difference?
Well, the Chevron Building Auditorium
is located right across from another tall building.
Okay.
And this is where the concept of wind channeling
comes into play.
Ah, I see.
Think of it like those narrow city canyons
where you feel the wind whipping through.
Yeah.
When buildings are close together,
they can create these wind tunnels.
Right.
That intensify wind speeds and pressure
in very localized areas.
Fascinating.
Ah, so it's not just the wind itself.
Yeah.
But how the surrounding buildings shape
and amplify its force.
Exactly.
That makes sense.
Yep.
And we see a similar pattern
with the center point energy plaza.
Okay.
The direct go caused concentrated damage
at a specific corner of the building.
It's likely due to channeling effects
amplified by those nearby structures.
Yeah.
Hurricane barrel, on the other hand,
caused minimal damage.
So we're noticing a trend here.
Yeah.
Localized damage from the direct go,
particularly in areas where wind channeling
seems to be a factor.
Exactly.
And this really emphasizes how those
sudden bursts of wind from a direct go
can exert intense pressure on specific parts
of a building leading to that concentrated damage.
Yeah.
It's different from the more sustained
widespread of wind load of a hurricane.
All right, let's move on to the El Paso Energy Building.
Okay.
And I bet you can guess what happened.
Let me guess.
The side facing another tall building, boom.
Most of the damage happened during the direct go.
Wow.
Hurricane barrel, minimal impact.
It's like a textbook example of how a building's location
and orientation relative to its neighbors
and the wind direction can drastically influence
how it weathers a wind event.
You know, it's kind of mind boggling
that these buildings are designed
to withstand wind speeds up to 67 meters per second.
Yeah.
You'd think they'd be able to handle anything,
but then the direct go comes along
and it shows us that there's more to the story.
Right, it challenges our assumptions
about building resilience.
Yeah.
And it underscores the importance of not just designing
for peak wind speed, but truly understanding
the unique characteristics of different wind events.
It's a good reminder that Mother Nature
always has a few surprises up her sleeve.
She does.
In fact, after the direct go,
they did an assessment of 18 downtown buildings
and found something like 3,250 broken windows.
Wow.
That's a lot of glass.
That's a staggering number.
And it really highlights the potential
for economic disruption and safety concerns
when these events hit.
Okay, so we've seen the damage,
but let's dig into the why.
All right.
What makes the damage from the direct go
so different from the hurricane?
Well, we've talked about wind channeling.
Yeah.
But there are other factors at play here.
For starters, let's think about the nature
of the wind itself.
Okay.
The hurricanes have those sustained winds
that push on a building fairly consistently.
Direct shows, on the other hand,
are marked by these sudden powerful bursts of wind
called downbursts.
Downbursts.
Yeah.
Fill us in on those.
Imagine a giant bucket of water
suddenly dumped from the sky.
Okay.
That's kind of what a downburst is like.
All right.
It's a column of air rapidly descending
from a thunderstorm, hitting the ground
and spreading out like a fan.
Okay.
They cause these sudden changes in wind speed
and direction near the ground,
which can put immense localized pressure
on building facades.
So it's like a sudden concentrated blast of wind.
Exactly.
No wonder it causes so much damage.
And those rapid shifts in wind pressure
can be particularly damaging,
especially to structures that aren't designed
to handle that kind of localized force.
So we've got the wind channeling
the sudden force of downbursts.
Right.
What else is contributing to this damaged disparity?
Well, the design and construction
of the buildings themselves play a crucial role.
Okay.
The materials use the quality of construction,
even routine maintenance.
All of these factors impact
how well a building stands up to wind.
Whether it's a hurricane or a directo.
Interesting.
A well-designed and well-maintained building
will fare much better
no matter what mother nature throws at it.
So it's a combination of the wind of end itself
and how the building is designed and built to resist it.
Exactly.
Fascinating.
Yeah.
Now I understand there's a way to actually study
how wind interacts with structures.
Something called wind tunnel testing.
You got it.
Okay.
Wind tunnels are incredible facilities
where researchers can create scaled down models of buildings
and subject them to different wind conditions.
Wow.
They can then measure the pressures and forces
on the model to see how it would respond
in a real world scenario.
That's so cool.
It's like a mini hurricane simulator, right?
Exactly.
And there was a really interesting study done recently.
Oh, wow.
The Wall of Wind Experimental Facility
at Florida International University.
Okay.
They simulated both the kinds of winds you'd see out
in the open ocean during a hurricane
and those intense downburst winds from a directo.
And they tested a model of a tall building
under both conditions.
They did.
And they also looked at how the presence
of nearby buildings impacted the results,
which is key to understanding those wind channeling effects
we've been talking about.
What do they find?
What they found was that the downward simulations
created much higher negative pressures or suction
on the sides of the building compared
to the hurricane-like winds.
Oh, wow.
This lines up perfectly with what we saw
in Houston after the directo.
So the wind tunnel basically confirmed
that those sudden powerful downbursts
can exert incredible suction on buildings.
Precise.
Potentially ripping facades right off.
And they also discovered that having another building
upstream basically in front of the test model
relative to the wind direction,
significantly increased the suction on the test model's
windward wall.
Again, this really highlights the importance of wind channeling
in those dense, urban environments.
So these wind tunnel tests are giving us real insights
into how wind behaves around tall buildings,
especially in those crowded downtown areas.
And it helps explain why those localized wind events,
like directoes, can be so destructive,
even when the wind speeds aren't as high as we might expect.
This is all incredibly insightful.
It really makes you think differently
about how we design and build in the face of increasingly
unpredictable weather.
It certainly does.
This case study in Houston is a stark reminder
that we need to rethink our approach to building design,
especially in urban areas.
Absolutely.
We'll be right back after a quick message from our sponsor.
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Welcome back to Meteorology Matters.
Before we took a quick pause, we are
discussing how a directo in Houston
caused surprisingly more damage than a hurricane,
even though they had similar peak wind speeds.
And we were starting to unravel why
those wind channeling effects and powerful downbursts really
seem to make a difference.
Now let's shift gears a bit and think
about what all of this means for you, the listener,
and for cities in general.
Yeah, I think most people just assume
that if a building can withstand a hurricane,
it's good to go no matter what.
That's a pretty common assumption,
but this Houston case really throws a wrench
in that thinking.
It forces us to reconsider how we approach building design,
especially in densely populated urban areas.
So are we saying that we need to start designing buildings
specifically for directos?
It's not necessarily about designing
for one specific type of storm, but about designing
for overall resilience.
We need to broaden our perspective
and consider a wider range of wind conditions,
including those sudden localized gusts that
can be even more destructive than sustained winds.
OK, so we need to be thinking about those extreme short
duration wind events, even if they don't happen as often
as hurricanes.
Exactly.
And we have to factor in the urban environment.
How will wind flow around buildings?
Where are those wind channeling hotspots going to be?
It seems like wind tunnel testing
would be super valuable for figuring all of that out.
Absolutely.
Wind tunnel testing allows us to visualize how wind interacts
with buildings and pinpoint those vulnerable areas that
might be susceptible to concentrated pressures
from downbursts or channeling effects.
So it's not just about making buildings stronger
across the board, but about understanding
those specific pressure points and designing accordingly.
And it's about selecting materials and construction
techniques that can handle those forces.
What about buildings that are already standing?
Are there things we can do to retrofit them,
to better withstand these localized wind events?
That's a great question.
And it's something that's becoming more and more relevant
as we realize just how impactful these events can be.
Retrofitting could involve a range of strategies,
from strengthening connections and anchors,
to adding wind deflectors, or even redesigning
certain parts of the facade.
So we're not just talking about new construction,
but also about reassessing and potentially upgrading
existing structures.
That's a huge undertaking.
It is.
But it's necessary if we want to make our cities more resilient.
We need to adopt a more holistic view of wind resilience, one
that considers the entire lifespan of a building
and the reality of a change in climate.
So to recap, it's not just about wind speed.
It's about understanding the nuances of different wind
events and how they interact with the built environment.
It's about designing for resilience,
not just for a specific storm.
And it's about considering the long-term implications
for both new and existing buildings.
Did I get all of that?
You nailed it.
It's a real paradigm shift in how we think about wind
in buildings.
And the Houston case serves as a potent reminder
that this is an issue we can no longer
afford to sweep under the rug.
This is some heavy stuff.
It makes you realize how much we still
need to learn about wind, its impact on buildings.
There's always more to learn.
And that's what makes science so fascinating.
It's a constant process of discovery.
And as we gather more data and refine our understanding,
we can create safer, more resilient structures
for the future.
That's a great way to look at it.
It's not about being overwhelmed by the challenges,
but about embracing the opportunity to learn and innovate.
So speaking of the future, what are some of the key research
areas that you think will be most important in advancing
our understanding of wind and building?
There are a few really promising avenues of research
that I'm particularly excited about.
One is the continued development of advanced wind tunnel
testing techniques.
We're now able to simulate increasingly complex wind
conditions like downbursts and tornadoes
with greater accuracy.
This gives us a much clearer picture
of how those extreme winds interact with structures
and the kinds of damage they can inflict.
So those simulators are becoming more and more realistic,
which means better data to work with.
Exactly.
Another exciting area is the use of computational fluid
dynamics, or CFD for short.
This is a powerful tool that allows us to model wind flow
around buildings in incredible detail.
It's like running virtual simulations
to see how different building designs, materials,
and configurations perform under various wind loads.
So it's like a virtual wind tunnel,
but even more detailed and versatile.
That's amazing.
It really is.
And it lets us test a much broader range of scenarios
and design options than we could with a physical wind tunnel.
It sounds like the future of building design
is going to be incredibly high-tech.
It most definitely is.
And then there's the growing field of field measurements.
This involves using sensors and instruments
to collect data on actual wind events
as they unfold in real time.
This real-world data is invaluable because it
allows us to validate our models and improve
our understanding of how wind behaves
in different environments.
So we're not just relying on simulations and models.
We're going out and gathering real-world data
to confirm those findings.
That's right.
It's a multi-pronged approach.
And the convergence of these different research areas
is giving us incredible insights into wind
and its impact on the built environment.
It's remarkable to see how this field is evolving.
It feels like we're on the cusp of some major breakthroughs
in how we design and build for wind resilience.
I agree.
And the Houston case is a powerful reminder
that this research isn't just theoretical.
It has very real implications for safety economics
and the long-term sustainability of our cities.
It's a lot to think about.
And it definitely highlights the need
for ongoing research and innovation in this field.
We'll be back after a short break
to explore some of the exciting ways
that architects and engineers are putting this knowledge
into practice.
Stay with us.
Welcome back to Meteorology Matters.
We've been talking about the surprising power of wind
and how events like direct goes can challenge our assumptions
about building resilience.
But now let's shift gears and talk about solutions.
How are architects and engineers using this knowledge
to create buildings that can truly stand up to the wind?
Get ready for some serious innovation,
because the world of wind-resistant design
is getting really exciting.
Architects and engineers are using wind tunnel testing
and computational fluid dynamics,
not just to test finished designs,
but to inform the entire design process
from the very beginning.
So instead of just checking if a building will survive,
they're actually using wind to shape the building itself.
That's exactly right.
Think about the aerodynamic shape of a car.
It's designed to cut through the air and minimize drag.
We can apply those same principles to buildings
using shapes that reduce wind loads
and make the building more efficient.
I've noticed that some modern skyscrapers
have those interesting curves and twists.
Are those designed with wind in mind?
Absolutely.
Those aren't just aesthetic choices.
They're often strategically placed to redirect wind flow,
reduce pressure on certain areas,
and minimize the overall forces acting on the building.
Wow, so they're turning buildings into giant wind sails,
but in a good way.
What about the materials themselves?
Are there any new innovations in that area?
Definitely.
We're seeing some incredible advancements
in building materials.
For example, there are new types of high-strength glass
that are much more resistant to shattering,
even under the extreme pressures
from those sudden downbursts we talked about.
Stronger glass aerodynamic shapes.
What about the way buildings are actually constructed?
Any cool new developments there?
There's a growing emphasis on what's called flexible design.
This means creating buildings that can move
and sway slightly with the wind,
rather than being completely rigid.
Wait, are you serious?
Buildings that actually move with the wind,
isn't that a bit, well, risky?
It's not like they're gonna be dancing in the breeze,
but they have a certain degree of flexibility
engineered into their structure.
This helps dissipate the energy from the wind,
reducing the stress on the building as a whole.
So it's kind of like bending with the wind
instead of breaking.
That's pretty ingenious.
It's like taking a cue from nature trees
and plants sway in the wind.
They don't try to resist it completely.
You got it.
It's a fascinating approach
that's inspired by the natural world.
So we've got stronger materials, aerodynamic designs,
and even buildings that can move with the wind.
What's next?
What's on the horizon in terms of really futuristic ideas?
Well, hold on to your hats,
because this is where things get really wild.
Researchers are experimenting
with things like active facade systems.
These are facades that can adjust and adapt
to changing wind conditions in real time.
Okay, you're gonna have to explain that,
one, buildings with facades that change shape with the wind.
That sounds like something straight
out of a science fiction movie.
It does sound like sci-fi, but it's becoming a reality.
These active facades use sensors
to detect wind speed and direction,
and then adjust their shape or orientation
to minimize the wind load on the building.
So buildings will literally morph and transform
to withstand the wind.
That's incredible.
That's the goal.
And even more futuristic,
there's research being done on using wind energy
to power buildings themselves.
We could potentially see skyscrapers
with integrated wind turbines,
or even entire facades that generate energy from the wind.
Now that would be truly amazing.
A skyscraper that not only withstands the wind,
but actually harnesses its power,
would come a long way from those shattered windows in Houston.
We have.
It's a vision of a truly sustainable future
where buildings work in harmony
with the forces of nature.
This has been such an eye-opening conversation.
We started by exploring that surprising directo in Houston,
and how it challenged our assumptions
about building resilience.
We learned about wind channeling down bursts,
and the importance of understanding
how different types of wind events
impact the built environment.
And then we took a trip into the future
of wind-resistant design,
where architects and engineers
are pushing the boundaries of what's possible,
creating buildings that can withstand
and even harness the power of the wind.
It's clear that our growing understanding of wind
will continue to shape the future
of architecture and engineering.
Well, that's a wrap on today's episode
of Meteorology Matters.
A big thank you to our expert guests
for sharing your incredible insights.
And to all of our listeners, thank you for joining us.
Don't forget to follow meteorologist
Rob Jones on Instagram.
His handle is meteorologist on TikTok,
at TV meteorologist,
and on YouTube, follow Rob Jones' Hurricane,
where you can also find
the Meteorology Matters podcast playlist.
Until next time,
stay curious about the world around you.