Wavy walls and roofs cut wind pressure by up to 60%

Engineers at Florida A&M and Florida State 3D-printed models of low-rise buildings with wavy walls and roofs and tested them in a wind tunnel. The deepest wave (10% of building height) reduced peak wind pressure near roof and wall corners by 40–60% versus flat surfaces.

• A wave depth of 10% of building height performed best
• Peak pressure at roof and wall corners fell 40–60%
• Tests used 3D-printed models in a wind tunnel
• US hurricane wind and flood damage is estimated at $34 billion a year