Pedestrian wind comfort in large cities

Abstract

Despite the growing awareness of the issue of pedestrian wind comfort in urban areas, there is still little standardization in evaluating it. This paper presents the results of an extensive campaign comprising field measurements, surveys with the local population, and wind tunnel tests aimed at making the first step towards such a goal. The field measurements and surveys are conducted during different seasons (winter, spring, summer) at a particularly windy site in the city center of Warsaw, Poland, in the vicinity of several tall buildings. The total number of respondents who took part in the survey was 3200. The analyzed area is then recreated in a model scale and tested at a wind tunnel facility. The results obtained are processed according to two existing criteria sets and are compared with field studies to provide an insight into some of the main factors contributing to pedestrian wind comfort: wind speed and the nature of the wind, air temperature, and pedestrian activity. The conclusions show that the impact of air temperature and wind gustiness on pedestrian wind comfort seems larger than previously envisaged. Moreover, the research shows that low wind sensation occurs at a low unsteady wind speed of around 3 m/s. The results of the research campaign provide a better understanding of pedestrian wind comfort in the cities and support improved planning and design practices in urban environments.