Wind Loads on Overhead Sign Structures: A Comparative Study

Road signs are prone to extreme winds that cause significant damage. Overhead sign structures can disrupt traffic and harm the traveling public if a failure occurs under wind conditions. In this paper, we employ Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) in comparative study understand aerodynamics of standard, porous, curved signs. The shows viability porous overhead boards for lessening aerodynamic loads, which mini-mize damage enhance safety on roadways. Porous decrease drag forces; however, size openings is vital parameter reducing loads. Small uniform perforations lead higher forces, compared larger ones, same porosity ratio. Introducing solid panel moves vorticity region further downstream, magnitude pressures leeward side decreasing force. However, panels enhanced force reduction.