Pressure and flow field investigation of interference effects on external pressures between high-rise buildings

Pressure tests and Particle Image Velocimetry (PIV) tests were conducted to investigate interference effects between two high-rise buildings. Buildings with the same height but different shapes, rectangular and square in plan, were adopted. Pressure test results show that the largest minimum peak pressure on a building under interference effects can be 50% larger than those on an isolated building. PIV tests were used to describe and explain the interference effects from the flow field point of view. The results show that the specific flow pattern with an interfering building may lead to enlargement of the negative peak pressure on the principal building. The interfering building can also reduce the negative peak pressure on the principal building by affecting the formation of a separated shear layer at its leading edge. ► Interference effects can severely affects the local peak pressure. ► The upper and lower corner regions on building are most vulnerable. ► The interaction of the flows around two buildings causes pressure changes.