5. Capabilities

Version 4.2.0 of WE-UQ app was released Feb 2025. The following lists the functionality available in this current version. (Note: New features and fixes in this release are marked blue in the following list of features.)

5.1. Structural Information Model

Applications are used to specify/select the structural model to be used in the analysis.

  1. MDOF: creating idealized multi-degree-of-freedom models

  2. MDOF-LU: auto-generated multi-degree-of-freedom model

  3. OpenSees: user-defined OpenSees models

  4. CustomPy: user-defined OpenSees models

5.2. Wind Loading Event

Applications used to specify/select wind loading for the structure.

  1. Stochastic Wind: Simulating stochastic wind speed using spectral methods. Includes the Wittig and Sinha 1975 model.

  2. CFD - Digital Wind Tunnel: CFD simulation of boundary layer wind tunnel

  3. CFD - Wind Load on Isolated Buildings: CFD-based wind load simulation for isolated buildings with complex geometry

  4. CFD - Wind Load on Surrounded Buildings: CFD-based wind load simulation for buildings surrounded by other buildings

  5. Experimental Wind Forces: As seen in “Uncertainty Quantification and Simulation of Wind-Tunnel-Informed Stochastic Wind Loads”. User specified force file input.

  6. Experimental Wind Forces: As seen in “Uncertainty Quantification and Simulation of Wind-Tunnel-Informed Stochastic Wind Loads”. User specified pressure file input. Includes CPSD group size.

  7. Experimental Wind Pressures: As seen in “Uncertainty Quantification and Simulation of Wind-Tunnel-Informed Stochastic Wind Loads”.

  8. Wind Force Spectrum (CPSD) - As seen in “Optimization of uncertain structures subject to stochastic wind loads under system-level first excursion constraints: A data-driven approach. Provided by Prof. Seymour Spence’s lab .

  9. DEDM_HRP: Database-enabled design framework based on wind-tunnel data for high-rise buildings

  10. LowRiseTPU: Extracting aerodynamics loads based on the TPU database for low-rise buildings

  11. HighRiseTPU: Extracting aerodynamics loads based on the TPU database for high-rise buildings

  12. Wind Tunnel Experiment: uses pressure tap measurements from building in wind tunnel experiment

  13. Existing: User-supplied time-varying floor loads

5.3. Engineering Demand Parameter Generator

Applications to identify the output parameters of interest given the wind loading and the structural model.

  1. Standard Wind: (serviceability) inter-story drift ratio, peak floor acceleration

  2. User Defined: user-specified EDP

  3. Component and Cladding EDP: area averaged peak loads on a predefined region/zone

5.4. Finite Element Application

Applications used to determine the response output parameters given the wind load generation and structural models.

  1. OpenSees: Open System for Earthquake Engineering Simulation

  2. CustomPy: Any user-supplied Python application can be incorporated

5.5. Uncertainty Quantification

Applications to perform the uncertainty quantification for the response parameters given the inputs and the random variables present.

  1. Forward Uncertainty Propagation

    1. Dakota Options

      1. Monte Carlo Sampling (MCS)

      2. Latin Hypercube Sampling (LHS)

      3. Gaussian Process Regression

      4. Polynomial Chaos Expansion

    2. SimCenterUQ Options

      1. Monte Carlo Sampling (MCS) a. Resample from an existing correlated dataset of samples

  2. Global Sensitivity Analysis

    1. Dakota Sensitivity Options

      1. MCS

      2. LHS

    2. SimCenterUQ Options

      1. Probability Model-based Global Sensitivity Analysis (PM-GSA)

        1. Import input/output samples from data files

  3. Reliability Analysis

    1. Dakota Reliability Options

      1. Local Reliability Analysis

      2. Global Reliability Analysis

      3. Importance Sampling

5.6. Additional Tools

  1. Empty Domain CFD Simulation: Capability to perform empty domain simulation to characterize Atmospheric Boundary Layer (ABL) flows using large-eddy simulation (LES). This feature uses the Turbulence Inflow Tool (TInF) tool for calibrating ABL flows for a subsequent wind load evaluation study.

  2. Isolated Building CFD Simulation: Added a functionality to perform CFD-based wind load simulation on isolated building as a stand-alone workflow tool. This tool uses the user’s local machine for performing pre-processing and run the actual CFD simulation on DesignSafe.