Variation of internal pressure with size of dominant opening and volume

Abstract

The internal pressure in buildings with a range dominant opening sizes and internal volume sizes are studied using a boundary layer wind tunnel scale model. Ratios of the standard deviation and peak of the internal pressure to external pressure at the opening are related to a non-dimensional opening to volume size S*. Whilst internal pressure fluctuations are attenuated compared to the pressure at the opening for small S*, Helmholtz resonance can amplify internal pressure compared to external pressure for large S*.