During strong wind events branches break of trees and can end up doing damage to buildings and other structures. Much of the research related to windborne debris has focused on simple shapes such as rectangular rods, flat plates, cubes or spheres. This wind tunnel based project will look at natural debris, endeavor to characterise its aerodynamic characteristics and consider its damage potential. Wind tunnel experiments will include static drag tests and free flight modelling. Students choosing this project should have an interest in aerodynamics and dynamics.
Undergraduate
An improved understanding of the damage caused by natural debris during strong wind events.
MECHENG 712 would be helpful.
Aerodynamics Lab (Newmarket 901 Lvl5, Lab)