Analysis of Wind Force Coefficients of Rooftop‐Mounted Photovoltaic Panels Using Wind Tunnel Tests and CFD Simulations

The increasing demand for renewable energy, driven by concerns over global warming and environmental sustainability, has led to the widespread adoption of photovoltaic (PV) systems in urban environments. In densely populated areas, PV panels are typically installed on flat rooftops of low‐rise and high‐rise buildings, as well as on public and commercial structures. However, rooftop‐mounted PV systems are highly susceptible to turbulence and strong winds generated by surrounding buildings, directly impacting their structural stability and efficiency. To address this, the present study conducted wind tunnel experiments to analyze the distribution characteristics of wind force coefficients acting on rooftop PV panels. Both single‐mounted and array‐mounted configurations were tested to investigate the effects of panel inclination and array positioning. Additionally, computational fluid dynamics (CFD) analysis was performed to qualitatively assess the internal flow characteristics within the PV array. The results demonstrated that the normal force coefficient increased in absolute value with higher panel inclination, and shielding effects within arrays significantly influenced the wind load distribution. Compared to the Japanese standard JIS C 8955:2017, the wind tunnel measurements exhibited lower force coefficients, although the general trends were consistent. In the array configuration, third‐row (3R) panels exhibited up to 22% higher suction forces than single‐mounted panels, particularly under specific tilt angles. CFD simulations further revealed that upward normal forces, induced by direct flow impingement on the panel surfaces, were more pronounced than downward forces. These findings highlight the necessity of considering array position effects in design practices to ensure structural safety and optimize material usage. Future work will extend the study to various building and array configurations for broader validation.