Wind loading on vertical panels with different permeabilities

A review of previous research studies on wind loads on vertical panels is presented. This review includes all cases of vertical panels, namely non-permeable and permeable panels on the ground or elevated panels. Two different design codes, The European code on wind actions and the American design code, are examined and their guidelines for the proper design of vertical panels under wind action are presented and compared to the research work found in literature. Impermeable vertical panels on the ground are an extensively studied issue and there seems to be an agreement between previous works and design codes. Results provided on permeable vertical panels show wind load reduction only as a function of porosity. However, the aerodynamic behavior of a permeable panel is affected by the geometrical form of its porous structure as well. The limited number of studies published on wind loads on elevated vertical panels shows that more research for validation and expansion of existing results is necessary. Design codes prove themselves to be complete and useful guidebooks. However, discrepancies that appear regarding a number of the provisions of vertical panels shows that they could go through further refinement.