Monitoring Wind Characteristics and Structural Performance of a Supertall Building during a Landfall Typhoon

Wind characteristics in the atmospheric boundary layer (ABL) and structural performance under extreme wind conditions are of major concern in the design of tall buildings in tropical cyclone-prone regions. On August 22, 2008, Typhoon Nuri (0812) made landfall over Hong Kong and then passed over its city center. This paper presents the analyzed results of the observations collected at two offshore meteorological stations and by a structural health monitoring system installed in a 420-m-high supertall building in downtown Hong Kong during the entire passage of Typhoon Nuri. The wind characteristics over open (sea) and urban (city) terrains at different stages of the typhoon are presented and discussed. Moreover, the wind-induced responses of the supertall building during the typhoon are investigated. The structural dynamics properties and serviceability of the supertall building during a landfall typhoon are evaluated. This study aims to investigate the wind characteristics in the ABL during a landfall typhoon, and its impact on high-rise buildings in a metropolis so as to provide useful information for the wind-resistant design of supertall buildings in tropical cyclone-prone regions.