Validation of Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) Platforms for the Early Stages of Architectural Design

Authors

  • Soo Jeong Jo Louisiana State University
  • James Jones Virginia Tech
  • Francine Battaglia University at Buffalo

Keywords:

Airflow, architectural design, building performance simulation, CFD, early-stage

Abstract

Airflow simulation using computational fluid dynamics (CFD) during the architectural design process can support decisionmaking in the early stages. However, due to cost and complexity, the use of CFD is limited to consultant engineers or researchers, and not readily used by architectural designers. With the growing power of computers, researchers have developed more user-friendly platforms for CFD that target the early stages of design. The goal of this study is a validation of the platforms through a comparative analysis. Autodesk CFD and Flow Design are selected for this study due to their simplicity and interoperability. The results of the study demonstrated that Autodesk CFD and Flow Design simulations showed agreement with the experiments despite the simplicity of the software.

Author Biographies

Soo Jeong Jo, Louisiana State University

Soo Jeong Jo is an assistant professor of architecture at Louisiana State University. She is a Ph.D. candidate at Virginia Tech and a licensed architect in France and South Korea. She is also a member of the Society of Building Science Educators (SBSE). Her research focuses on high-performance design based on building performance simulations (BPS) specifically for the early stages of architectural design. Her studies were presented in international architecture conferences and journals, including the Passive and Low Energy Architecture (PLEA) and the Architectural Research Centers Consortium (ARCC) which awarded her the ARCC King Student Medal in 2019.

Along with her research, Soo Jeong has been trained as an educator through the Future Professoriate Certificate program offered by Virginia Tech Graduate School. Prior to her research and teaching, Soo Jeong was a practicing architect in Paris, New York City, and Seoul. During this time, she participated in various award-winning projects, both in architecture and urban planning, that include Hanwha Life Insurance Training Institute in Yongin, Korea, ORDOS 100 #39 Housing in Inner Mongolia, China, and Bedford Downtown Revitalization in Virginia, USA. Her professional experience sparked her research interest in sustainability and building performance, which finally led her to academia. Combining her backgrounds in research, teaching, and design, Soo Jeong explores the interactions between science and architectural design.

Francine Battaglia, University at Buffalo

Computational fluid dynamics; building energy utilization and renewable/alternative energy; turbulent multiphase and reacting flows

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Published

2020-05-25