The visualization of tree barriers as windbreaks in urban areas using the EDDY3D tool

Abstract

The role of trees as natural windbreak barriers is significant in various aspects, not only in reducing wind velocity but also in mitigating odors and gas emissions. The effectiveness of these barriers depends on the number of tree rows, tree height, and the spacing between tree rows. Tree visualization is implemented using computational fluid dynamics (CFD) programs to calculate the wind velocity reduction percentage before and after the application of a tree barrier. This research aims to develop a novel measurement tool to quantify wind velocity reduction using the EDDY3D tool. The objectives of the present study are to present CFD models that visualize the effects of trees on wind flow regulation and to introduce EDDY3D as one of the latest CFD models for simulating airflow. To calculate the wind velocity reduction percentage following the application of a tree barrier in the study area, a series of visualization tests were conducted using EDDY3D. These tests took into account tree height, arrangement, number of rows, and spacing between individual trees and tree rows. The outcome is a quantitative tool for measuring wind velocity reduction, which can be applied in future research on wind dynamics and tree barrier effectiveness. The study demonstrates that EDDY3D-based simulations can effectively assess wind reduction percentages in tree windbreak configurations, revealing that positioning the tree barrier closer to the receptor optimizes wind speed reduction, while mid-distance placement diminishes its effectiveness.

Keywords

Tree barrier / Windbreak / Computational fluid dynamics model / EDDY3D simulation tool

Acknowledgment

The authors appreciate the cooperation of Architect Abdel-Ghani Safi and Architect Rachid Choghary for their collaboration in completing this research.

Funding

None.

Conflict of interest

The authors declare they have no competing interests.

Author contributions

Conceptualization: Yasmine Amkieh, Mary Felix Formal analysis: Yasmine Amkieh Investigation: Yasmine Amkieh Methodology: Yasmine Amkieh, Mary Felix Writing – original draft: Yasmine Amkieh Writing – review & editing: All authors

Ethics approval and consent to participate

Not applicable.

Consent for publication

Not applicable.

Availability of data

All data underlying the results are available as part of the article and no additional source data are required. Software available from: https://www.eddy3d.com

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