Influence of the wind tunnel model characteristics on the loading and response of cable-net hyperbolic paraboloid roofs

Aerodynamic modelling affects the prediction of wind loads if they are derived from wind tunnel tests. Depending on the structural type, difference in applied loads may induce larger or smaller differences in the predicted structural response. For low rise buildings, the roof roughness is a crucial parameter that affects the wind action distribution and magnitude, and its impact on the structural response. This paper discusses the results from wind tunnel pressure measurements on eight geometries of hyperbolic paraboloid roofs, coming from experimental campaigns in three different wind tunnels and using different models. The pressure distributions are then used to evaluate vertical displacements of cable nets tensile structures, which are also compared with each other. Results show that significant differences in the measured pressures are only slightly reduced when vertical displacements are compared, that is inaccuracy of the load is only slightly mitigated when propagated to the response.