Study on wind pressure of side-attached canopies atop buildings with setback

Rooftop canopies are prone to be damaged by wind. In this study, the wind load acting on side-attached canopies atop buildings with setback is studied based on wind tunnel experiments, considering the complex topology of medium- and low-rise buildings. Four different heights of the underneath building—6 m, 12 m, 18 m, and 24 m—and two setback heights—3 m and 6 m—are considered. The height of the canopy is fixed at 3 m, and wind pressures on both sides of the canopy are measured. The results show that the height of the building setback can significantly affect the wind pressure on the upper surface of the canopy, and blockage of the space between the canopy and roof has a strong effect on the wind pressure on the lower surface. The height of the underneath building is also a critical parameter for the wind load of the canopy. The non-Gaussianity of the canopy pressure data is examined, and the results show that different building setback heights may lead to quite different distribution characteristics. The maximum net wind pressures and total lift forces are also calculated and compared with wind load codes and the findings of previous studies, which may be helpful for the design of this type of canopy structure.