Doctoral Defense - Yusuf Basmaci

About the Event

The Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering

Michigan State University 

Ph.D. Dissertation Defense 

March 17, 2025 at 11:00 AM EST

Join Zoom Meeting: https://msu.zoom.us/j/97631837945
Meeting ID: 976 318 37945
Passcode: 053149

Abstract

ESTIMATING AIR INFILTRATION RATES THROUGH LARGE OPENINGS
FOR IMPROVED BUILDING ENERGY USE IMPACTS EVALUATION

By:Yusuf Basmaci

Advisor: Dr. Kristen Cetin

This study investigates air infiltration through large vertical openings in a single-zone industrial building using on-site wind speed measurements. High-precision anemometers were placed at different heights on an overhead door, along with a rooftop sensor for comparison with local AWOS weather station data. Wind speed variations across the opening were analyzed, revealing that higher sensors did not consistently record higher wind speeds, indicating variable airflow patterns. Regression models were developed to estimate wind speed at the opening using weather data, with the best-performing model achieving an R² of 0.76. Infiltration rates derived from on-site data were 60.90% lower than those estimated using the EnergyPlus Effective Leakage Area Model, demonstrating the model’s limitations. This study provides an empirical framework for improving infiltration rate estimation in industrial buildings using weather data.Past Defenses