Innovative Solvent-Based Pressure-Sensitive Paints for Aerodynamic Testing in Wind Engineering

This work introduces an innovative Pressure-Sensitive Paint (PSP) system based on solvent quenching mechanisms (SQ-PSP), tailored for precise aerodynamic testing in wind engineering applications. The SQ-PSP system enhances the capabilities of traditional PSP technology by employing a solvent to quench fluorescence, enabling accurate pressure distribution mapping on structural models tested in wind tunnels.

The system's polymer matrix incorporates luminescent pressure sensors that react dynamically to pressure changes, offering high sensitivity and stability. Validation tests demonstrated linearity in a pressure range from -500 hPa to +500 hPa, ensuring reliable performance across diverse aerodynamic scenarios. A key advantage of the SQ-PSP system is its ease of application and rapid data acquisition, making it a superior alternative to traditional pressure taps in terms of both efficiency and measurement precision.

Wind tunnel studies using architectural models confirmed the system's effectiveness, showing strong agreement with classical measurement methods in positive pressure ranges. However, challenges in capturing negative pressure variations highlight areas for further refinement. Despite these limitations, the SQ-PSP system presents significant potential as a cutting-edge tool for analyzing complex pressure distributions, contributing to the optimization of structural designs and improving urban wind comfort through enhanced aerodynamic modeling. Acknowledgments: This research was supported by the Foundation for Polish Science under the Proof of Concept project (FENG.02.07-IP.05-0451/23), titled “Novel Polymer-Based Pressure Sensitive Paint Systems for Aerodynamic Testing to Enhance Predictions of Structural Impact on Atmospheric Phenomena and Urban Comfort.”