Evaluating Numerical Wind Flow Simulation Methods for High-Rise Buildings: A Systematic Review of RANS and LES Methods
Junu Min
The American School in Japan, Tokyo, Japan
Publication date: November 20, 2025
The American School in Japan, Tokyo, Japan
Publication date: November 20, 2025
DOI: http://doi.org/10.34614/JIYRC2025II32
ABSTRACT
When designing buildings, one critical factor to take into consideration is how the structure interacts with wind. This paper compares two widespread methods of Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) used to simulate wind flow around buildings: Reynolds-Averaged Navier Stokes (RANS) and Large Eddy Simulations (LES). Through a review of 12 sources, five key application areas were identified: flow around isolated buildings, building clusters, natural ventilation, pollutant dispersion, and pedestrian comfort. Generally, LES showed greater accuracy, but RANS was more computationally efficient.
When designing buildings, one critical factor to take into consideration is how the structure interacts with wind. This paper compares two widespread methods of Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) used to simulate wind flow around buildings: Reynolds-Averaged Navier Stokes (RANS) and Large Eddy Simulations (LES). Through a review of 12 sources, five key application areas were identified: flow around isolated buildings, building clusters, natural ventilation, pollutant dispersion, and pedestrian comfort. Generally, LES showed greater accuracy, but RANS was more computationally efficient.
