Experimental Study on Local Wind Pressure Characteristics of Arched Plastic-Film Greenhouse Under Different Terrain Categories

Arched plastic-film greenhouses are widely used in agricultural production because of their low cost and strong adaptability. However, their lightweight and flexible characteristics make them highly vulnerable to wind-induced damage. Although previous studies have investigated greenhouse wind loads under different structural forms and wind directions, the combined influence of terrain-induced turbulence intensity and oblique wind direction on local wind pressure characteristics remains insufficiently understood. Therefore, wind tunnel experiments were carried out on a 1:10 scale model of an arched plastic-film greenhouse under three terrain categories and multiple wind directions. The local mean, fluctuating, and peak wind pressure coefficients on the greenhouse surface were analyzed to identify the governing wind directions, critical pressure zones, and turbulence amplification effects. The results show that wind direction is the dominant factor controlling the spatial distribution of local pressure on the arched roof. The most unfavorable condition occurs under oblique wind at about 60°, where the windward leading-edge corner exhibits the largest absolute values of mean suction, fluctuating pressure, and negative peak pressure coefficient. Increasing terrain-induced turbulence intensity tends to increase the mean negative pressure, fluctuating pressure, and peak pressure on the greenhouse surface. However, the amplification effect is much more pronounced for fluctuating and peak pressures than for mean pressure, and the terrain effect on mean pressure is mainly evident under oblique wind directions. The windward roof edge, roof corner, and near-gable ridge-end regions are therefore the most critical areas for wind-resistant design.