Wind-induced damage analysis and wind resistance design for roof-top canopy on low- and medium-rise buildings

Canopies are commonly used on low- and medium-rise buildings, which are characterized by their lightweight. Such feature makes them highly susceptible to wind. However, existing studies have paid little attention given to the wind effect of this type of structures. To address this gap, wind tunnel tests were conducted to obtain wind pressure data at first, and then finite element dynamic analysis was further employed to study the wind uplift failure of the canopy. Additionally, the wind resistance design of the canopy was optimized based on the finite element analysis. Some assumptions are adopted in this study to focus on the analysis of wind induced damage, including simple bolt connections are used between canopy panel and supporting frame, ideal material property of bolts, etc. Two typical incident wind angle is studied, 0° and 45°. The results indicate that, wind uplift failure is primarily controlled by the separation vortex induced high negative pressure on the upper surface. The corners of the canopy are found to be the most vulnerable locations for wind. To mitigate damage, measures such as reinforcing and increasing connecting bolts, or dividing the panels into smaller sections can be adopted. Notably, increasing the bolts distribution density in the outer two rows can significantly improves the canopy’s overall wind resistance by 34.44%.