Measurements and CFD simulations for the analysis of wind flow in a semi-enclosed stadium

CFD simulations can be a powerful tool to investigate the relationship between stadium geometry and the wind flow pattern inside the stadium. The CFD model has to be validated to ensure reliable results. This paper presents a validation study by comparing the results of full-scale measurements and steady-state and transient CFD simulations of the wind flow pattern inside the Koning Boudewijn athletics stadium in Brussels. The comparison shows that transient CFD simulations are better able to predict the turbulent wind flow pattern inside the stadium compared to steady-state CFD simulations. Nevertheless, discrepancies remain, which are attributed to simplifications in model geometry and to the differences in inlet atmospheric turbulence between the measurements and the simulations.