Journal of Wind Engineering

and Industrial Aerodynamics 74—76 (1998) 531—542

Numerical prediction of unsteady pressures

on a square cylinder with various corner shapes
T. Tamura*, T. Miyagi, T. Kitagishi
Department of Environmental Physics and Engineering, Tokyo Institute of Technology,
4259, Nagatsuta, Midori-ku, Yokohama 226, Japan

Abstract

Three-dimensional incompressible flows around a square cylinder with various corner shapes
are numerically simulated by the direct finite difference scheme without any turbulence model.
In order to overcome numerical instability for the high Reynolds number flows, third-order
upwind scheme is incorporated for the convection terms. Experiment is also performed for the
same model under same conditions. It is demonstrated that, as the corner shape is slightly
changed, the aerodynamic characteristics result in drastic modification. For example, the
modified drag has a possibility to decrease up to approximately 60% of the original value due
to an appropriate shape. So this kind of passive technique for reduction of the aerodynamic
forces is very promising. Especially we focus on the unsteady pressures acting on the surface of
the cylinder and compare the computational results with the experimental ones. The spatial
correlation of pressures is also investigated, in order to understand the detailed structures of the
separated shear layers which mainly decide the aerodynamic characteristics. On the basis of the
numerical results, the mechanism for reducing the aerodynamic forces is clarified. ( 1998
Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.

Keywords: Three-dimensional numerical simulation; Square cylinder; Corner shapes; Unsteady

pressure; Spanwise correlation

1. Introduction

In wind engineering we often encounter various aerodynamic problems of bluff

cylinders whose slender shape is typical for buildings and structures. Here we bring
into focus the unsteady pressures acting on the surface of a two-dimensional square

* Corresponding author.

0167-6105/98/$19.00 ( 1998 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.

PII: S 0 1 6 7 - 6 1 0 5 ( 9 8 ) 0 0 0 4 8 - 8
532 T. Tamura et al./J. Wind Eng. Ind. Aerodyn. 74—76 (1998) 531–542

cylinder. However, even for two-dimensional geometry such as a cylinder shape,

three-dimensional flows are very important, hence we have so far solved these
problems by the finite difference method for the three-dimensional incompressible
Navier—Stokes equations in the generalized coordinate system [1,2]. As a result, it is
confirmed that the basic statistics of aerodynamic characteristics for buildings and
structures, for example, the averaged drag force, fluctuating lift force or the Strouhal
numbers etc., can be successfully simulated by 3D computation of a cylinder model,
which is separately placed on the plate. While, regarding the unsteady characteristics,
such as the spanwise correlation of pressures, satisfactory results have not been
obtained. The effect of insufficient discretization in the spanwise direction cannot be
neglected, but its reason has not been decided yet. At the present stage in this field, the
consistency between the computational and experimental data is settled within the
limit to the basic aerodynamic characteristics. In order to investigate more sensitive
statistics such as the unsteady pressures on a square cylinder with various corner
shapes, we carried out very large computations of cylinder flows with a great number
of grid points for spatial discretization especially in the spanwise direction. Also
experiments were performed for measurements of pressures. As a numerical model of
aerodynamic problem for a square cylinder, the accuracy of predictions by very large
computation due to the direct method without turbulence model was investigated.
Also, from the wind and structural engineering points of view, the availability of the
numerical prediction is discussed with regard to the control of aerodynamic forces due
to various corner shapes of a square cylinder.

2. CFD technique for aerodynamic problems

2.1. Governing equations and numerical method

The governing equations are given by the continuity and the incompressible
Navier—Stokes equations as follows:

div u"0, (1)

Lu/Lt#u · grad u"!grad p#1/Re *u, (2)

where u, p, t and Re denote the velocity vector, pressure, time and the Reynolds
number, respectively, which are non-dimensionalized by º (reference velocity),
0
B (reference length), o (density) and l (kinematic viscosity). The numerical algorithm is
based on the MAC method. Its details can be referred to Ref. [2].

2.2. The higher-order upwind scheme for the computation of the high-Reynolds-number
flows

In order to obtain the numerical stability, the third-order upwind scheme

is employed for the convection terms of the Navier—Stokes equations as
 T. Tamura et al./J. Wind Eng. Ind. Aerodyn. 74—76 (1998) 531–542 533

follows [3]:

A B
Lu !u #8(u !u )#u
u i+u i`2 i`1 i~1 i~2
Lx i 12dx

u !4u #6u !4u #u

#Du D i`2 i`1 i i~1 i~2, (3)
i 4dx

where dx is the grid spacing. The second term on the right-hand side represents the
numerical diffusion by a fourth-order derivative, which is regarded as a different type
of diffusion from the viscous terms.

2.3. Spanwise discretization for 3D computational models of bluff cylinders

According to the flow structures around a bluff cylinder, it is understood that the
introduction of three-dimensionality and the capture of the behavior of the shear layer
and the vortices are needed to predict the aerodynamic characteristics. The effect of
spanwise discretization on 3D computational results was examined [4]. The min-
imum requirement is dependent on the sort of the predicted values. In the limitation of
the averaged and the RMS values for the aerodynamic forces and the Strouhal
numbers, the following requirements for the numerical conditions are proposed:

Spanwise length of the computational region: H/B*1.0,

Resolution in the spanwise direction: dz/B)0.1,

where the breadth of a cylinder(B) is given as a reference length. On the basis of the
above requirements, taking into consideration the correlation length for a bluff
cylinder (Table 1, [5—7]), the spanwise length of the computational domain, H/B
"4.0 and 10.0 are employed. 200 grid points in the circumference and 102 grid points
in the radial direction are distributed for an o-type cross-section around the cylinder
shown in Fig. 1. The smallest grid spacing close to cylinder is 0.1]1/JRe ("0.001B)
Basically, 102 grid points are used in the spanwise (z) direction. Only for a square
cylinder, 187 grid points are also used as the heaviest computation in this study. Fig. 2
shows Sectional configurations of a test model. The Reynolds number for computa-
tion is basically set to 104.

Table 1
Spanwise correlation length by previous experimental data

Author Turbulent Correlation

intensity length

Vickery [5] (0.010 5.6

Namiranian et al. [6] (0.002 4.8
Mclean et al. [7] (0.002 4.6
534 T. Tamura et al./J. Wind Eng. Ind. Aerodyn. 74—76 (1998) 531–542

Fig. 1. Computational model for a square cylinder (200]100).

Fig. 2. Sectional configurations of a test model.

 T. Tamura et al./J. Wind Eng. Ind. Aerodyn. 74—76 (1998) 531–542 535

3. Experimental arrangements

For the comparison with the computational data, the experiments were performed
in an Eiffel-type wind tunnel of Tokyo Institute of Technology, whose working section
is 1000 mm]800 mm. Measurements of the mean and fluctuating pressure field
acting on a two-dimensional square cylinder in uniform flows are presented. The
turbulence level in the working section was less than 0.5% outside part of the
boundary layer.
The test model, which has a breadth of 48 mm and a height of 800 mm, is directly
fixed to the ceiling and the floor of the wind tunnel. The model surface is fitted with
two sets of pressure tappings. One set of tapping is given in the circumference of
a cross-section and the other set is in the spanwise center line on the side of the
cylinder with constant interval. All the tappings are 9.0 mm deep, and have a 1.0 mm
bore. The pressure taps are connected through about 1.0 m each of the plastic tubing
to Scanivalve high-sensitivity differential pressure transducer, Model PDCR23D, with
a range of 250 mmH O via a Scanivalve multitap switch. The Reynolds number for
2
these experiments, based on cylinder breadth is 6.0]104.

4. Flow patterns and aerodynamic characteristics of various square cylinders

4.1. Computational instantaneous flow structures

Fig. 3 exhibits the flow patterns and the pressure contours around a square cylinder
at Re"104. In both cases of the rounded and the chamfered corners, the separated
shear layers come close to the side surface and the wake becomes narrower. As
a result, both pressure distributions on the side surface show complicated fine
structures compared to the case of the sharp corner.

4.2. Aerodynamic characteristics of a square cylinder with various corner shapes

Fig. 4a and b display the basic statistics for aerodynamic characteristics. Through
comparison with the experimental data [8], the computational drag force and lift
fluctuation tend to be larger. There are several reasons based on inflow characteristics
and three dimensionality for these results. One is that in case of computation, the
approaching flow is completely uniform, however, it has very small disturbance for
wind tunnel test. Another reason is that in the case of wind tunnel test, the flow
condition is not perfectly 2D due to discrepancy of the boundary condition in the
spanwize direction, such as the end plate or the wall effect. The C and C values
D L3.4
decrease in the order of the square cylinder, the chamfered cylinder and the rounded
cylinder. The Strouhal number is nearly constant between 0.1 and 0.15 even in the case
that the corner shape of a square cylinder is changed.
536 T. Tamura et al./J. Wind Eng. Ind. Aerodyn. 74—76 (1998) 531–542

Fig. 3. Instantaneous flow structures around a square cylinder(H/B"10.0, dz/B"0.1): (a) vorticity con-
tours (sharp corners); (b) pressure contours (sharp corners); (c) vorticity contours (chamfered corners);
(d) pressure contours (chamfered corners); (e) vorticity contours (rounded corners); (f) pressure contours
(rounded corners).

4.3. Effects of the Reynolds number on vortex motions around modified cylinders

The vortex structures around a square cylinder with various corner shapes are
shown in Fig. 5. According to the vorticity contours of different values of Re, the case
with the rounded corners has a phenomenon like a drag crisis. That is to say, the wake
around a square cylinder with rounded corners becomes narrow at the higher
 T. Tamura et al./J. Wind Eng. Ind. Aerodyn. 74—76 (1998) 531–542 537

Fig. 4. Computational and experimental results of aerodynamic characteristics: (a) mean drag and fluctu-
ating lift coefficients; (b) Strouhal number.

Fig. 5. Effects of the Reynolds number on the vortex motions around modified cylinders.
538 T. Tamura et al./J. Wind Eng. Ind. Aerodyn. 74—76 (1998) 531–542

Reynolds numbers. In the case with the chamfered corners, the shear layer is well
separated and the wake becomes wider, compared to the case with the rounded corners.

5. Characteristics of unsteady pressures

5.1. Averaged and fluctuating pressure distributions on various square cylinders

First we focus on the averaged and the RMS values of the pressure distributions on
the surface of a basic square cylinder with sharp corners, shown in Fig. 6. In both
cases with different grid resolution, sufficiently accurate results are obtained. Espe-
cially in case of finer grid, the computational results are completely in good agreement
with the previous experimental data [9,10]. The effect of corner shape on the pressure
distribution is investigated in Fig. 7. In cases of the rounded and the chamfered
corners, the averaged pressure tends to decrease drastically toward the corner and
become negative even in the frontal region while the RMS value increases in the same
region.

5.2. Spanwise correlation of unsteady pressures on center line of the side

Fig. 8 displays the spanwise cross correlation of fluctuating pressure difference

across the center line of the long cylinder. In the case of the sharp corners the

Fig. 6. Computational and experimental pressure distributions around a sharp corners cylinder: (a) aver-
aged pressure coefficients; (b) fluctuating pressure coefficients.
 T. Tamura et al./J. Wind Eng. Ind. Aerodyn. 74—76 (1998) 531–542 539

Fig. 7. The effects of corner shape on the pressure distribution; (a) averaged pressure coefficients;
(b) fluctuating pressure coefficients.

Fig. 8. Cross correlation of fluctuating pressure difference across the center line in the spanwise direc-
tion(H/B"10): (a) computational results; (b) experimental results.

computational results do not suddenly decrease as the spanwise distance (r/B) be-
comes large and indicate larger values than experimental data. One of the reasons is
the difference of the turbulence level in the approaching flows between the computa-
tional and the experimental conditions. Another is the deficiency of the grid resolution
even for this large computation to predict the correlation accurately. In the case of the
chamfered corners, the correlation is smaller than that of the sharp corner. But in the
case of the rounded corners, the correlation becomes larger compared to the case with
540 T. Tamura et al./J. Wind Eng. Ind. Aerodyn. 74—76 (1998) 531–542

the sharp corners. These computational results have a different tendency from the
experimental results. The correlation is sensitive to the shape of the corner.

5.3. Time histories of pressures on the side

In order to examine the discrepancy of the spanwise correlation, the time histories
of pressures are presented in Fig. 9. In experiments, the pressures at positions of 1.0B
or 4.5B distance, have different phases in the cases of the rounded and the chamfered

Fig. 9. Time histories of pressures at the different positions on the side: (a) computational results;
(b) experimental results.
 T. Tamura et al./J. Wind Eng. Ind. Aerodyn. 74—76 (1998) 531–542 541

Fig. 10. Three-dimensional flow structures around a square cylinder with various corner shape (H/B"4,
*p): (a) sharp corners; (b) chamfered corners; (c) rounded corners.

corners. On the other hand, computational results show phase difference on the
rounded cylinder becomes very small, which causes higher level of correlation in the
spanwise direction. We cannot find clearly difference in fluctuations in the range of
high frequency.
542 T. Tamura et al./J. Wind Eng. Ind. Aerodyn. 74—76 (1998) 531–542

5.4. Three-dimensional flow structures around various square cylinders

Fig. 10 depicts computational three-dimensional flow structures around a square

cylinder with various corner shape in case of the H/B"4.0. The contouring surfaces
of *p are shown for representing details of vortex structures. In the case with rounded
corners, we can recognize the fine and wavy structures in the spanwise direction. They
are very regular compared to the sharp and the chamfered square cylinders.

6. Conclusions

We discuss the applicability of CFD (Computational Fluid Dynamics) technique to

the aerodynamic problems and clarify an outlook of the future possibility in the
context of practical use of CFD technique for prediction of the wind loading on
buildings and structures. Due to very large computation with sufficient grid resolu-
tion, the numerical prediction is very reliable for basic statistics. But for very sensitive
statistics such as the correlation of unsteady pressures, we need to investigate their
relations of flow structures and vortex formation. It is also recognized that the CFD
technique can be utilized for the understanding of the physical mechanism with regard
to the effects of the corner shape on the aerodynamic characteristics as well as for
evaluation from the engineering point of view.

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