A windbreak wall (also called a wind fence or wind shelter) can reduce windspeeds by over 70% of the incoming windspeed over large areas, and over 80% over localized areas.
A wind fence slows the wind in one place by deflecting it to another. The best wind break fence produce a zone behind the windbreak which will have wind of about a quarter of the speed. For a 10m high windbreak this zone will extend about 76m downwind. From 76m to 152m the windspeed will increase up to about half that of the incoming wind. Beyond that windspeeds increase quickly.
Industrial Windbreaks are also used for
- Erosion control
- Reduction of wind loads on sensitive components
- Privacy screens
- Debris and garbage collection
- Control of waves and turbulence on ponds
- Snow deflection and control
- Fencing
