Grant: Research Tools and Instruments - Category 1 (<$150,000)
Concordia University
$59,608.00
3D Traversing gear for the positioning of probes in the wind tunnel
FY 2009-10
Summary
The Building Aerodynamics Laboratory of Concordia University located at the Engineering complex, houses a large atmospheric boundary-layer wind tunnel (ABLWT), the only one of this type in Québec and one of the very few in North America. It is an open circuit, blow down tunnel 12 meters long and has a test section 1.8 meters wide and 1.8 meters high. Models of buildings and their surroundings are constructed at a geometric scale (typically 1:500 to 1:200) and placed on a turntable downstream of the upcoming flow, which simulates the natural wind characteristics when wind blows towards from any direction. The ABLWT has been equipped with sensitive sensors and instruments used for accurate measurements of flow and pressure components depending on the particular application of interest. The facility has been used for numerous research studies with significant contributions in the field of wind engineering, mainly in the development of wind loading provisions for wind standards and building codes of practice around the world. Several hundreds of students, researchers, architects and engineers have been benefited by this facility during the past 25 years.
The operation of the ABLWT requires a traversing gear system for the positioning of probes with their sensitive sensors. This tunnel had a home-made traversing system designed and installed by University personnel after the development of the wind tunnel. This system has been in operation for all that time but excessive use and wear resulted in its failure. In addition, the advances on the field of wind tunnel instrumentation increased the urgency for the acquisition of a more sophisticated, user friendly, high resolution and, most importantly, computer-based operated positioning system. Such systems are now commercially available and funds are requested by the present application to obtain a three-dimensional traversing gear system for the positioning of the probes. The need for this type of equipment is clear in order to continue the successful operation of this unique experimental facility of Concordia University for the accomplishment of the applicant's research program and the technological education of a large number of HQP.
Program
Research Tools and Instruments - Category 1 (<$150,000)
Recipient
Location
Quebec, Canada
Recipient Type
Academia
Type
Grant
Source
NSERC's Awards Data
As published
Application id
390927-2010
Name nom
Stathopoulos, Theodore
Department département
Building, Civil and Environmental Engineering
Organization id
70
Institution établissement
Concordia University
Province en
Québec
Province fr
Québec
Country en
CANADA
Country fr
CANADA
Fiscal year exercice financier
2009
Competition year année de concours
2010
Award amount
59608
Program id
EQPEQ
Program nane en
Research Tools and Instruments - Category 1 (<$150,000)
Program name fr
Outils et instruments de recherche - catégorie 1 (<150 000$)
Group en
Discovery grants programs
Group fr
Programmes de subventions à la découverte
Committee code
1509
Committee name en
Civil, Industrial and Systems Engineering
Committee name fr
Génie civil, industriel et des systèmes
Area of application code
601
Area of application group en
Construction, urban and rural planning
Area of application group fr
Construction, urbanisme et aménagement rural
Area of application en
Structural engineering
Area of application fr
Génie des charpentes
Research subject code
1101
Research subject group en
Structural engineering
Research subject group fr
Génie des structures
Research subject en
Structural loads and safety
Research subject fr
Charges structurales et sécurité
Partie
1
Nb partie
1
Application title
3D Traversing gear for the positioning of probes in the wind tunnel
Keyword
NA
Application summary
The Building Aerodynamics Laboratory of Concordia University located at the Engineering complex, houses a large atmospheric boundary-layer wind tunnel (ABLWT), the only one of this type in Québec and one of the very few in North America. It is an open circuit, blow down tunnel 12 meters long and has a test section 1.8 meters wide and 1.8 meters high. Models of buildings and their surroundings are constructed at a geometric scale (typically 1:500 to 1:200) and placed on a turntable downstream of the upcoming flow, which simulates the natural wind characteristics when wind blows towards from any direction. The ABLWT has been equipped with sensitive sensors and instruments used for accurate measurements of flow and pressure components depending on the particular application of interest. The facility has been used for numerous research studies with significant contributions in the field of wind engineering, mainly in the development of wind loading provisions for wind standards and building codes of practice around the world. Several hundreds of students, researchers, architects and engineers have been benefited by this facility during the past 25 years.
The operation of the ABLWT requires a traversing gear system for the positioning of probes with their sensitive sensors. This tunnel had a home-made traversing system designed and installed by University personnel after the development of the wind tunnel. This system has been in operation for all that time but excessive use and wear resulted in its failure. In addition, the advances on the field of wind tunnel instrumentation increased the urgency for the acquisition of a more sophisticated, user friendly, high resolution and, most importantly, computer-based operated positioning system. Such systems are now commercially available and funds are requested by the present application to obtain a three-dimensional traversing gear system for the positioning of the probes. The need for this type of equipment is clear in order to continue the successful operation of this unique experimental facility of Concordia University for the accomplishment of the applicant's research program and the technological education of a large number of HQP.
