Research

Services

The teams of the CSTB mobilize experimental and digital resources for large-scale and small-scale studies to optimize solutions that guarantee the stability, resistance and performance of structures, thereby achieving safety and comfort.

Expertise

The research teams offer a wide variety of cutting-edge combined experimental and digital services in aerodynamics, for a broad assortment of applications:

Buildings, including museums and buildings open to the public, high-rise buildings, bridges, stadiums, cranes, ships…

  • Pre-sizing of structures
  • Analysis of the aerodynamic forces exerted on buildings (local and overall loads and dynamic contribution)
  • Dynamic response of bridges on small-scale aeroelastic models
  • Study of the wind resistance and vibration behavior of structures (full scale)
  • Study of the aeroacoustic behavior of structures.
  • Aerothermodynamics of large volumes.
  • Simulation of indoor ventilation systems
  • Calculation of the transport of pollutants and plume behavior, accounting for thermal phenomena
  • Studying the behavior of marine structures and oil rigs; the offshore industry and wind turbines
  • Analysis of site effects on cranes
  • Characterization and optimization of wind comfort

Automotive and rail

  • External aerodynamics and internal airflow
  • Display and measurement of water flows on bodywork and windows
  • Qualification of the operation of windshield wiping systems up to 250 km/h
  • Analysis of two-phase flows (rain, snow, sand and dust)
  • Optimization of competition vehicles
  • Study of the behavior of trains in crosswinds and resistance to forward motion
  • Aerodynamic analysis of appendages, including pantographs

Automotive and rail

  • External aerodynamics and internal airflow
  • Display and measurement of water flows on bodywork and windows
  • Qualification of the operation of windshield wiping systems up to 250 km/h
  • Analysis of two-phase flows (rain, snow, sand and dust)
  • Optimization of competition vehicles
  • Study of the behavior of trains in crosswinds and resistance to forward motion
  • Aerodynamic analysis of appendages, including pantographs

All of the sectors concerned

Buildings and Components

Buildings
& Components

Civil engineering works

Civil engineering
works

Renewable energies

Renewable
energies

Automotive

Automotive

Rail transport

Rail
transport

Industrial machines and equipment

Industrial machines
& equipment

Defence

Defence

Resources

Combined experimental and digital methods

  • Visual displays of flows
  • Laser surface velocimeter analysis using Particle Image Velocimetry (PIV)
  • Trajectography
  • Displacement sensors, accelerometers
  • Dynamometric scales
  • High-resolution, high-frequency pressure measurements
  • Exciters, shakers, etc.
  • Digital simulation (CFD) of aerodynamic and two-phase flows

Technological platforms

  • Jules Verne climatic wind tunnel for small-scale or full-scale prototypes
  • Atmospheric wind tunnels for reduced scale models
  • Dedicated test benches: 4x4 roller benches, brake test benches, ground movement
  • Bench for evaluating the airflow performance of smoke vents and static extractors

References