Proper orthogonal decomposition of random wind pressure field

This paper discusses the application of the Proper Orthogonal Decomposition (POD) technique to randomly fluctuating wind pressure fields acting on a b uilding surface. POD is a method of detecting a new coordinate system which can most efficiently represent the original fluctuating phenomena. This me thod can identify the deterministic or systematic structure hidden in the r andom fluctuations and thus help us to understand the phenomena better. It also demonstrates that the coordinate system employed is the most efficient , and can greatly reduce the amount of data that needs to be stored to re-e xamine the phenomena. Precautions in its application to random fields with mean values and with a singular condition are also mentioned. Furthermore, this paper introduces an example of the method's application to the evaluat ion of properties and the prediction of responses to wind forces acting on high-rise buildings; the validity of the method is also verified. (C) 1999 Academic Press.