An enhanced empirical model for moving downburst wind profiles: Integration with CFD simulations

Abstract

Downbursts are highly destructive local storm phenomena that pose significant threats to large-span engineering structures, such as transmission towers and power lines. Traditional radial wind profile models often rely on the vector superposition method to simulate moving downbursts. However, this approach inadequately captures the asymmetric effects of storm movement on the wind field structure. This paper proposes an enhanced empirical model that more accurately describes the radial wind profiles of moving downbursts. The model builds upon existing empirical approaches and is further refined through Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) simulations. The results demonstrate that the proposed model offers greater accuracy and flexibility in simulating moving downbursts compared to existing models, particularly in predicting wind loads on large-span structures. These findings provide a theoretical foundation for further refinement of downburst wind field models and serve as valuable references for the wind-resistant design of engineering structures.