CFD Simulations of Flows in Step-up Street Canyons

We analyzed the flow characteristics in strep-up street canyons using a computational fluid dynamics (CFD) model. Simulated results are validated against experimental wind-tunnel results, with the CFD simulations conducted under the same building configurations (H_u/H_d = 0.33, 0.6 and L/S = 1, 2, 3, and 4; H_u, H_d, L, and S respectively indicate the upwind, downwind building heights, the building length and street-canyon width) as those in the wind-tunnel experiments. The CFD model reproduced the in-canyon vortex, recirculation zones above the downwind buildings, and stagnation point position reasonably well. Furthermore, we analyze the flow characteristics in the step-up street canyons based on the numerical results. The in-canyon flows simulated in the shallow (H_u/H_d = 0.33) and deep (H_u/H_d = 0.6) street canyons underwent two stages (development and mature stages) as the building-length ratio increased. In the development stages, one clockwise-rotating vortex was formed in the step-up street canyons and its center was slightly tilted toward the wall of the upwind building. However, in the mature stages, two clockwise-rotating vortices were formed in the upper and lower layers. A clockwise vortex and a counterclockwise vortex were stabilized as the building width ratio increased.