Return to search

The urban form and solar radiation in tropical arid climates : investigation of the interrelationships with the aid of an evaluative computer model with generative potentials, with particular reference to Khartoum

The thesis is concerned with the interactions between solar irradiance and buildings in urban situations in tropical arid regions. It attempts to reveal the effects of the geometry and surface reflectance of buildings on the initial, interreflected and final irradiance on the external surfaces off buildings and define their interrelationships. A computerised mathematical model is developed to simulate the interactions at the external surfaces of buildings, embodies the relevant physical processes and factors involved and enables the irradiance load to be evaluated. The model is used to carry out systematic and detailed investigations for the most common forms of buildings and urban configurations for Khartoum, a location typical of the tropical arid regions. These identify the ranges, the significance and the effects of the geometrical parameters and surface reflectance of buildings on the initial, interreflected and final irradiance load and define their interrelationships. On this basis, simplified economical solution procedures for the evaluation of the initial and interreflected irradiance are developed, irradiance indices, and measures of form performance are established and guidelines for the manipulation of the form parameters for the control of the irradiance load are defined. The generative potentials of the model, its capabilities, flexibility and applicability in the design process in minimising the irradiance load on buildings are illustrated. In order to carry out the prograame of work described above, a major preliminary investigation of solar and sky radiation in tropical arid conditions had to be carried out. This is also presented in the thesis.

Identiferoai:union.ndltd.org:bl.uk/oai:ethos.bl.uk:660067
Date January 1978
CreatorsNuman, Mohamed Yousif
PublisherUniversity of Edinburgh
Source SetsEthos UK
Detected LanguageEnglish
TypeElectronic Thesis or Dissertation
Sourcehttp://hdl.handle.net/1842/18501

Page generated in 0.0019 seconds