Enhanced scour tests to evaluate pedestrian level winds

This paper discusses the scour technique for evaluating pedestrian-level winds, as performed at the Boundary Layer Wind Tunnel Laboratory (BLWTL). Although the technique has been used for many years, the recent addition of the Digital Image Processor to analyze the results has greatly improved its effectiveness. The value of the test results has been taken one step further with the development of computer software to analyze the spatial variation of scour patterns. Comparisons of scour tests with hot-wire anemometer data have shown that the scour technique can measure wind speeds reliably. It has been shown that scour patterns, depending on the turbulence intensity, provide an indication of wind speeds at, or somewhat above, the mean value. Examples of scour tests are presented to show the impact of a proposed development on the existing surroundings with a visual presentation of the wind flow patterns for the “before” and “after” conditions.