Analysis of aerodynamic configuration of high-rise buildings in Mexico

The construction of slender buildings has become a common practice in the ever growing Mexico City. These buildings, due to their structural and architectural characteristics, are more susceptible to be damaged by the wind than by an earthquake especially in regards to the service conditions they ought to meet. This paper presents a review of the aerodynamic features of some tall buildings in Mexico City. There is an emphasis on those buildings that have a streamlined shape at the bottom and a geometrical variation at the top, the ones whose area in the top stories reduces or the ones that have elements such as cavities and changes on the façade’s slope, which allow a decrease of lateral displacements on the top floors. The relevance of using computational methods for the preliminary design of the architectural shape is exemplified.