Lab-Brewed Tornadoes

Most researchers would cringe at the idea of a tornado running through their lab, but for a team of researchers at Iowa State University, it's a daily event.

Here professors and students intentionally brew miniature versions of the spinning tempests to better understand the forces that work within. The project, sponsored by the federal government and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, is designed to learn more about a storm's wind forces and develop innovative ways to make homes and buildings stand up to tornadoes, microburst thunderstorms, hurricanes, and gust fronts.

Later this year, students will follow researchers straight into tornado alley to help deploy sophisticated probes containing sensing instruments and cameras. They'll also test various methods for taking tornado wind measurements as close to the ground as possible.

Back in the lab, the researchers will focus on several major projects:

• Study the flow of storm winds near the ground. The researchers will compare field measurements of to lab simulations and visit places hit by wind storms to assess storm damage to understand how terrain and structures affect wind flow.
• The researchers will take sophisticated pressure measurements to understand the wind loads that hit buildings during a wind storm. They will also develop computer models to see how winds hit buildings and how buildings respond to extreme wind.
• Study new building designs that would be resistant to wind storms. Possible designs include improving structural supports, finding new kinds of siding, and making small changes to the shape of buildings that improve their aerodynamics and reduce the wind loads they carry. The researchers will also study how rows of trees and shrubs can reduce wind intensity in rural areas.

--Bjorn Carey

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Credit: Bob Elbert