MIAMI (AP) - A group of students from Miami-Dade County high schools participated Wednesday in a challenge to test their aerodynamic designs against hurricane-strength winds.
The students from North Miami High School were one of eight teams whose models were tested against Florida International University’s Wall of Wind, which consists of 12 fans that can simulate wind speeds of all categories of hurricanes including a Category 5 with winds above 155 mph.
The challenge was to build 32-inch tall models of 32-story buildings that would withstand tropical storm winds and even hurricanes. Each one was designed with different materials.
A medal rod was placed in one model to give it more weight.
“That was one of the main issues, how to make it heavier,” said Matthew Velez, 17, a junior at George T. Baker Aviation. His team’s model toppled over before reaching tropical strength winds.
Other models rocked steadily against winds similar to a category 1 hurricane, between 74 and 95 mph, before falling on their sides.
“Our balconies had dimples around them,” explained Hermes Espinosa, 18, a senior at Miami Coral Park High School who plans to study electrical engineering. We were trying to simulate a golf ball effect since golf balls are designed to have very little wind drag against them to travel farther. That’s exactly what we wanted: We wanted the wind to dissipate around the building and not hit it directly forward causing it to withstand greater wind speeds when being tested.”
His team’s model won 2nd place at the competition.
More than 100 students and teachers participated in the Wall of Wind Mitigation Challenge. On hand were officials with FIU’s International Hurricane Research Center, which collaborates with the National Hurricane Center.
“The challenge is we’re looking at a taller structure. In the real world with hurricanes if they hit a large city, there are tall buildings,” said Erik Salna, associate director with the International Hurricane Research Center. “What can we do to make things more aerodynamic when you have a strong wind, to relieve wind and forces? That’s their challenge.”
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