An Experimental Study on the Galloping of Inclined Cables

A series of wind tunnel tests was conducted to investigate the existence of the galloping instability of inclined dry cables and also to Identify the influence of some parameters on it. These parameters are the structural damping and cable surface roughness, which may have significant impact on the vibration characteristics. The test results showed both the divergent type of galloping instability and the limited amplitude high wind speed vortex shedding excitation. Galloping instability was observed in only one case. Parametric study shows that the vortex shedding oscillation can be easily suppressed with an increase of structural damping. It was also shown that the instability criterion indicated by earlier research was too conservative compared to the results obtained from the present study.