The design of greenhouses requires careful consideration of site-specific climatic conditions and crop loads, with wind being one of the most significant factors to address. In this study, we assessed wind loads on a multi-tunnel greenhouse structure using two different methods: the Eurocode Standard (UNE EN 13031-1) and computational fluid dynamics (CFD). The comparison revealed some important differences between the two approaches, with CFD simulations uncovering previously unknown details that have implications for agricultural engineering. On the one hand, suction wind loads were noticed in the 0–55° region of the first tunnel and, on the other hand, the 60% reduction of the external pressure coefficients proposed by the standard was not detected in the third tunnel. These findings demonstrate the value of using advanced modeling techniques to optimize greenhouse design for specific climatic conditions.

Ponencia presentada en el XII Congreso Ibérico de Agroingeniería celebrado en Sevilla entre el 4 y el 6 de septiembre de 2023.

notPeerReviewed