Wind-induced dynamic effects on rooftop PV arrays: an experimental, analytical, and field study
Article
Estephan, J, Al Sayegh, H, Chowdhury, AG et al. (2026). Wind-induced dynamic effects on rooftop PV arrays: an experimental, analytical, and field study
. JOURNAL OF WIND ENGINEERING AND INDUSTRIAL AERODYNAMICS, 277 10.1016/j.jweia.2026.106549
Estephan, J, Al Sayegh, H, Chowdhury, AG et al. (2026). Wind-induced dynamic effects on rooftop PV arrays: an experimental, analytical, and field study
. JOURNAL OF WIND ENGINEERING AND INDUSTRIAL AERODYNAMICS, 277 10.1016/j.jweia.2026.106549
Accurate estimation of wind loads on rooftop photovoltaic (PV) systems is essential for evaluating their performance and identifying potential vulnerabilities, forming the foundation for enhancing their resilience during extreme wind events. Previous studies have shown that PV systems are dynamically sensitive structures experiencing wind-induced vibrations that may lead to failure of components and connections. These vibrations can only be captured through full-scale testing; however, size limitations of wind tunnels restrict the accurate reproduction of low-frequency turbulence in large and full-scale testing, requiring post-processing methods to account for the missing energy content. The purpose of the research reported herein is to show that the effective (aerodynamic and dynamic) peak wind loads on PV systems can be determined through the use of measurements on large-scale models complemented by the application of the advanced partial turbulence simulation (PTS) method. Field measurements were performed on the top corner of the rooftop PV array of the Hogue Technology Center (HTC) at Central Washington University (CWU). In addition, measurements on a full-scale replica model of the HTC PV array corner were conducted at Florida International University's Wall of Wind (WOW) Experimental Facility (EF). The advanced PTS method was used to estimate peak wind loads from the data collected at the WOW. Results indicate that the PTS-compensated loads derived from the full-scale WOW tests closely match those obtained from field measurements. Furthermore, comparisons of those peak wind loads with their ASCE 7-22 Standard counterparts showed that the latter can be underestimated mainly due to not accounting for the dynamic effects. The study confirms the dynamically sensitive nature of rooftop PV systems and proposes a dynamic amplification factor to be incorporated in design practices to enhance the wind resilience of these systems.
