A tall tower with a unique shape in a windy locale presented a critical need for wind tunnel testing
Completed in 2022, the Port Baku Tower 2 is a 36-storey, 167-metre-high mixed-use tower with a sleek, curved geometry. The 135,000m² space includes offices and retail space.
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The Challenge
As the city of Baku is known to be an exceedingly windy location, wind tunnel testing was critical for the design of this tall, uniquely shaped tower. Pasha Construction, the construction company for the project, reached out to RWDI for our world-renowned expertise in such matters.
Our Approach
RWDI’s team of experts:
- Conducted wind tunnel tests of a model of the proposed tower with existing surrounding buildings to accurately assess the tower’s wind environment and achieve pedestrian comfort and safety.
- Studied wind loading on the proposed tower to determine the wind loads for design of the exterior envelope of the tower and establish the change in pressures that would result, due to the construction of the new tower, on an existing chimney located right beside the tower.
- Analyzed the structural wind loading on the proposed tower to inform the overall structural design and to determine the wind-induced accelerations at the uppermost occupied floors.
The Outcome
Port Baku Tower 2 was completed in 2022. With the assistance of RWDI, Pasha Construction was able to optimize the structural and cladding design of the tower for very windy conditions and make its bold vision a reality.