A review on experimental research using scale models for buildings: Application and methodologies

A complete review on scale model testing for buildings, considering a wide range of methodologies and new manufacturing techniques, in areas such as statics and dynamics, acoustics, lighting, aerodynamics and thermodynamics for energy efficiency is presented. On the one hand, scale model testing for buildings require different considerations and techniques and are usually focused on one specific physical field contributing to the information scattering. On the other hand, they are sometimes too general, theoretical or unpractical. Although commercial computer simulations are first option among professionals, they necessarily simplify complex phenomena and ignore, among other aspects, size effects and latest findings in fractals. The potential of complementary experiments using new manufactured scale models for buildings is raising, however, it is still missing a practical overview through different physical fields specifically for buildings with these considerations. This review gives a wide perspective and unified scope on uses and possibilities of scale model testing for buildings, from the traditional configurations of Leon Battiste Alberti to new possibilities applying complex physics and new techniques of 3D-modelling.