EPISODE · Dec 4, 2024 · 14 MIN
Designing the World’s Largest Wind-Wave Research Lab
from DesignSafe Radio · host DesignSafe Radio
Plans are afoot to build the world’s largest wind-wave research lab, capable of generating 200 MPH hurricane winds and 5-meter-high waves. This NSF-funded facility will enable full-scale investigations into structural and coastal resilience — and a secure future in the face of destructive natural hazards. On today’s show, Florida International University wind engineer Arindam Chowdhury joins us to describe this facility, the National Full-Scale Testing Infrastructure for Community Hardening in Extreme Wind, Surge, and Wave Events — or NICHE, for short.About NICHE. The NICHE lab will have a 20-fan array capable of generating 200 MPH winds, that’s a Cat 6 hurricane — as well as generating transient winds like tornadoes and downbursts. NICHE’s enormous wind field will enable testing of full-scale two-story structures. It will have a 500-meter-long wave flume and be capable of generating five-meter-high waves. Significantly, the NICHE team is incorporating facility protocols for researchers to deliver expedient, real-world impact.
What this episode covers
On today’s show, Florida International University wind engineer Arindam Chowdhury joins us to describe a new NSF-funded research lab called the National Full-Scale Testing Infrastructure for Community Hardening in Extreme Wind, Surge, and Wave Events — or NICHE, for short.
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Designing the World’s Largest Wind-Wave Research Lab
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