Análisis comparativo del impacto del viento en una nave industrial tipo, mediante procedimiento NEC-15 y túnel de viento.

Abstract

This study analyzes the structural behavior of a typical industrial building subjected to wind loads applied according to the Ecuadorian Construction Standard (NEC-2015) and compared with a digital wind tunnel simulation developed in RFEM/RWIND. The main objective was to design and evaluate the structure under both methods to determine its stiffness, flexibility, and energy dissipation capacity. The analyzed structure corresponds to a steel gable-frame industrial building with a 20 m span, 6 m eave height, and 30 m length, built with HEB columns and IPE variable-section beams, using ASTM A36 structural steel. Dead, live, and wind loads were considered in accordance with NEC-SE-CG, combined using the LRFD load combinations. The aerodynamic simulation in RWIND was performed by applying a logarithmic wind profile for directions of 0°, 90°, and 45°, using the k–ω SST turbulence model. The results confirm the proposed hypothesis: the structural displacement depends on the method used to apply wind loads. Along the X-axis, the maximum displacement increased by up to 43 % with the CFD model compared to the NEC calculation, while along the Y-axis variations of up to 36 % were recorded. These differences are attributed to the non-uniform pressure distribution and the three-dimensional flow effects captured in the CFD simulation. In conclusion, the comparison between the NEC and CFD simulations shows that code-based methods tend to partially underestimate actual displacements, especially in areas of suction and eaves. The integration of both approaches provides a more accurate assessment of structural behavior, validating the proposed methodology and research objectives.