AccScience Publishing / JCAU / Online First / DOI: 10.36922/jcau.7095
ORIGINAL ARTICLE

The visualization of tree barriers as windbreaks in urban areas using the EDDY3D tool

Yasmine Khaled Amkieh1* Ibtihal Y. El-Bastawissi1,2 Ayman Afifi1 Mary Felix1
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1 Faculty of Architecture - Design and Built Environment, Beirut Arab University, Beirut, Lebanon
2 Department of Architectural Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Alexandria University, Alexandria, Egypt
Journal of Chinese Architecture and Urbanism, 7095 https://doi.org/10.36922/jcau.7095
Submitted: 6 December 2024 | Revised: 15 January 2025 | Accepted: 7 February 2025 | Published: 4 March 2025
© 2025 by the Author(s). This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution -Noncommercial 4.0 International License (CC-by the license) ( https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/ )
Abstract

The role of trees as natural windbreak barriers is significant in various aspects, not only in reducing wind velocity but also in mitigating odors and gas emissions. The effectiveness of these barriers depends on the number of tree rows, tree height, and the spacing between tree rows. Tree visualization is implemented using computational fluid dynamics (CFD) programs to calculate the wind velocity reduction percentage before and after the application of a tree barrier. This research aims to develop a novel measurement tool to quantify wind velocity reduction using the EDDY3D tool. The objectives of the present study are to present CFD models that visualize the effects of trees on wind flow regulation and to introduce EDDY3D as one of the latest CFD models for simulating airflow. To calculate the wind velocity reduction percentage following the application of a tree barrier in the study area, a series of visualization tests were conducted using EDDY3D. These tests took into account tree height, arrangement, number of rows, and spacing between individual trees and tree rows. The outcome is a quantitative tool for measuring wind velocity reduction, which can be applied in future research on wind dynamics and tree barrier effectiveness. The study demonstrates that EDDY3D-based simulations can effectively assess wind reduction percentages in tree windbreak configurations, revealing that positioning the tree barrier closer to the receptor optimizes wind speed reduction, while mid-distance placement diminishes its effectiveness.

Keywords
Tree barrier
Windbreak
Computational fluid dynamics model
EDDY3D simulation tool
Funding
None.
Conflict of interest
The authors declare they have no competing interests.
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Journal of Chinese Architecture and Urbanism, Electronic ISSN: 2717-5626 Published by AccScience Publishing