Polynomial approximation of aerodynamic coefficients based on the statistical description of the wind incidence

In civil engineering applications, the aerodynamic coefficients are usually measured in wind tunnels for several wind incidences. The measurement results need to be linearized in order to perform the design of the structure. This paper justifies the use of different linearization techniques for different assessments as divergence or buffeting analysis. In this latter context, it is proposed to linearize the aerodynamic coefficient by the least-square method, using the probability density function of the wind incidence as a weighting function. First this probability density function is computed for a 2-D wind flow, as a function of the wind intensities and their correlation. Then, the comparison of results from different linearization techniques provides surprising results indicating that what is usually performed should be considered with care.