The inertial coefficient for fluctuating flow through a dominant opening in a building

Wind-induced fluctuating internal pressures in a building with a dominant opening can be described by a second-order non-linear differential equation. However, the accuracy and efficiency of the governing equation in predicting internal pressure fluctuations depend upon two ill-defined parameters: inertial coefficient CI and loss coefficient CL, since CI determines the un-damped oscillation frequency of an air slug at the opening, while CL controls the decay ratio of the fluctuating internal pressure. This study particularly focused on the value of loss coefficient and its influence factors including: opening configuration and location, internal volumes, as well as wind speed and approaching flow turbulence. A simplified formula was presented to predict loss coefficient, therefore an approximate relationship between the standard deviation of internal and external pressures can be estimated using Vickery\'s approach. The study shows that the loss coefficient governs the peak response of the internal pressure spectrum which, in turn, will directly influence the standard deviation of the fluctuating internal pressure. The approaching flow characteristic and opening location have a remarkable effect on the parameter CL.