Computational fluid dynamics for urban design

Abstract

Computational fluid dynamics (CFD) is a method of solving and analysing problems that involved fluid flows. In the field of architecture, urban design and urban planning, CFD is useful for the analysis of ventilation and airflow in the built environment, especially in very dense cities. This paper will look into the possibility of making CFD more accessible to the general design and planning field. A simulation is done on a urban design proposal to quickly see how air flow behaves around it. From there, it looks into the future where technology will make CFD simulation more easily adopted and the possibilities of integrating the ventilation analysis with other environmental analysis results into the urban design arena. ©2010, Association for Research in Computer-Aided Architectural Research in Asia (CAADRIA).