Regional and Seasonal Variations of the Characteristics of Gust Factor in Hong Kong and the Observed Long Term Trend
Abstract The design of buildings and structural systems requires consideration of winds and gusts. Among the wind parameters, the gust factor, which reflects the degree of wind turbulence or gustiness, is one of the critical parameters widely employed in codes and standards for estimating the wind loading effect. Hong Kong, located at the coast of south China, has a sub-tropical climate with significant seasonal variation. Different weather systems characterize different seasons, resulting in a marked seasonal variation in wind speed and prevailing wind direction. Climatologically, high wind and gust conditions in summer are attributed to the passage of tropical cyclones while those in winter are attributed to intense winter monsoons. In addition to seasonal variation, the wind pattern in Hong Kong is complicated by the complex terrain and the densely distributed high-rise buildings constructed in the past few decades. This study analyses the wind data measured at different locations of the territory by a network of anemometers, the aim being to examine the characteristics of the gust factors in summer and winter in different regions as well as to determine the long-term trend, if any, of the gust factors.