Multiscale Simulation of Wind Effects in ComplexUrban Blocks during Super Typhoon Mangkhut

Abstract During Super Typhoon Mangkhut, extensive damage was observed on the glass curtain walls of tall buildings in Hong Kong. A multiscale simulation framework coupling the weather research and forecasting (WRF) model with large eddy simulation (LES) was employed to reconstruct the wind field under real typhoon conditions around the target building and to obtain wind pressure distributions on its surfaces. Differences in the wind fields around the damaged and undamaged regions were analyzed, and the non-Gaussian characteristics of wind pressure were examined through statistical indicators such as kurtosis, skewness, and probability density functions (PDFs). The reliability of the multiscale simulation framework was validated through wind tunnel tests, which provided time histories of fluctuating wind pressure on the building surface under all wind directions. The simulated extreme pressure nearly reached the design threshold specified in local codes, providing a reasonable explanation for the extensive curtain wall damage from the perspective of surface extreme pressure. The findings enhance the understanding of urban wind fields and typhoon-induced wind effects on tall buildings in dense urban environments.