Structural and Environmental Safety Studies of the Holy Mosque Area Using CFD

Abstract

A three-dimensional (3D) CFD model was developed, covering a square area of 3.64 km2 and comprising the Holy Mosque near its center, the actual terrain, and the main surrounding buildings. The gust wind effects on the existing cranes and the collapsed tower crane in 2015, the comfort of the pedestrians, and the air quality were studied for the first time in this area. The air quality was related to calm speed, accelerating the spreading of infectious diseases. The wind comfort levels were achieved in all selected locations. The wind speeds are generally low in the area. However, gusting wind currents appeared from limited directions, causing increments in wind speeds up to 30% and causing the tower crane to collapse. Therefore, finalizing work on some cranes is recommended soon, lowering the crane boom and stopping working on windy days or changing their places. The air quality in some sites may be relatively poor, such as at the lower terraces level. New tall buildings surrounding the mosque from the north and the east are not recommended unless studying their impacts on the air quality. Pruning north and east mounts can remarkably improve natural ventilation. Large-scale fans are another solution after a detailed simulation study.