Flow noise testing at façade elements

The motivation of the performed investigations lies in the fact, that flow noises occur at façade elements, and these affect the well-being in the immediate neighbourhood. The underlying flow noises occur when wind blows over a façade. In canyons of large cities and at high-rise buildings steady flow along the building may be assumed due to thermal and other weather conditions. In this context, attention should be given not only to middle and high winds, but also to low speeds. Striking sounds on façades at lower wind speeds can be much more annoying in certain circumstances, because they clearly stand out from the background level. The article reports about measurements performed at selected façade elements in a wind tunnel. The goal of the measurements is to identify possible sources of noise before installing the façade on a building and to reduce noise through appropriate measures.