Proximity effect on low-rise building surrounded by similar-sized buildings

•Wind pressure measurements for low-rise building in large group were conducted.•Various area densities and long upstream distances were simulated.•Proximity effect on target low-rise building was investigated.•Pressures, especially at roof edges, do not decrease with the provisions of shelter.•The effect of area density and building distance was examined separately.

Wind pressures on a low-rise building in a large group were measured to investigate the proximity effects of surrounding buildings. Five area densities and a long upstream distance were considered under a suburban flow. Results show that variations of pressure coefficients within one area density are relatively small, and that local pressure coefficients increase significantly because of a rapid decrease in local velocity pressures at the model position. Focusing on the peak pressure coefficients, sensitivity study of area density and building distance were conducted for two area densities. The effect of an upstream building is the largest, and the effect of modified arrangement of all buildings is similar to that of the upstream building. The effects of side and downstream buildings are smaller than that of area density.