During severe autumn storms, dikes and their revetments can be exposed to high aerodynamic loads. The wind load is not determined by wind speed alone: the local pressure distribution over the geometry is decisive for the resulting forces on individual elements.
FlowMotion used CFD to calculate the airflow around the dike and determine the local static-pressure distribution on the revetment. Particular attention was paid to pressure differences between the upper and lower sides of the elements, because these determine the resulting lifting or pressing forces.
The calculations made it possible to identify the locations where the largest pressure differences occurred and to determine the corresponding aerodynamic loads. The influence of wind direction and the local dike geometry could also be assessed.
By integrating the calculated pressure distribution over the relevant surfaces, the resulting forces on the revetment elements could be determined and used as input for the structural assessment.
