A short review on pedestrian wind assessment techniques in urban area

Abstract

High-rise buildings in urban areas increase wind speeds, causing discomfort to the community and infrastructural damages at the pedestrian level. Wind components, turbulence intensity, and magnitude are studied when evaluating these issues. Pedestrian wind assessments can be conducted through wind tunnel experiment and numerical studies. Numerical studies are performed using Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) tools. Both methods are preferable due to its reliability. There are studies conducted on-site measurements for validation or comparison purposes. Different urban topography in urban area creates different outcomes and hence, essential to assess wind flow at the pedestrian level. Subsequently, some remedial measures may suggest improvents to the problems posed by various urban topographies. Although there are different assessment criteria proposed, there are no specific criteria to be referred. In this paper, some pedestrian wind studies are compiled, and the research standards and techniques conducted by researchers are reviewed, which may provide fundamental understanding in developing a framework for future exploratory pedestrian wind research.