Keywords: covers of large spans, pressure coefficients, numerical simulation of wind drags, lightweight structures, wind forces, computational fluid dynamics.

This paper presents a study of wind drag coefficients of the steel roof cover of large lights, using computational fluid dynamics (CFD) analysis. With new architectural demands and the need to cover large spans or areas with minimal support, has led to the development of lightweight structures with irregular geometries of non-linear behaviour and self-supporting ability to resist the loads and effects generated mainly by external climatologically agents such as snow and wind, these conditions usually govern the design of such structures. For its geometry these roofs require large lights, this condition makes it necessary to accurately determine the coefficients of drag or pressure, subject to the action of the wind. So this paper investigates and determines by numerical simulation the pressure coefficients on a curved metal cover. Then, the numerical results are compared with national norms CFE-2008 and the Eurocode, finding a good correlation between them and at the same time validate numerical models.

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