Uncertainties in pressure coefficients derived from full and model scale data / $c by Fei Long.

The purpose of this study is to build the uncertainties associated with the wind tunnel testing and full-scale to wind tunnel pressure coefficient extrapolation by comparing the model and full-scale pressure coefficients. Two types of comparisons were made: one is the comparison between the two models CSU & SLM, and the other is the comparison between the models and full-scale (WERFL). For each case, both the observed statistics (i.e., mean, standard deviation, maximum, and minimum Cp) and estimated mean extreme Cp are analyzed. Two methods are used to obtain the estimated mean hourly extreme pressure coefficients.

For the first case, the uncertainties according to repeatability, model-building, use of different wind tunnels, and estimation techniques for pressure coefficients statistics (i.e., both observed statistics and estimated mean extreme Cp) were estimated.

For the second case, the pressure coefficients statistics (i.e., both observed statistics and estimated mean extreme Cp) of model and full-scale records achieved for a comparison. Individual tap time series as well as the area average and moving average time series were used to establish the uncertainties.

The best-fit (Palisade Corporation, 1993) program is used to obtain best-fit probability density function and summary statistics for the error terms of all observed statistics comparison.