• Wind and Structures
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• v.30 no.5
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• pp.499-509
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• 2020

The aeroelastic stability of a long-span suspension footbridge with a bluff deck (prototype section) was examined through static and dynamic wind tunnel tests using a 1:10 scale sectional model of the main girder, and the corresponding aerodynamic countermeasures were proposed in order to improve the stability. First, dynamic tests of the prototype sectional model in vertical and torsional motions were carried out at three attack angles (α = 3°, 0°, -3°). The results show that the galloping instability of the sectional model occurs at α = 3° and 0°, an observation that has never been made before. Then, the various aerodynamic countermeasures were examined through the dynamic model tests. It was found that the openings set on the vertical web of the prototype section (web-opening section) mitigate the galloping completely for all three attack angles. Finally, static tests of both the prototype and web-opening sectional models were performed to obtain the aerodynamic coefficients, which were further used to investigate the galloping mechanism by applying the Den Hartog criterion. The total damping of the prototype and web-opening models were obtained with consideration of the structural and aerodynamic damping. The total damping of the prototype model was negative for α = 0° to 7°, with the minimum value being -1.07%, suggesting the occurrence of galloping, while that of the web-opening model was positive for all investigated attack angles of α = -12° to 12°.

• Wind and Structures
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• v.18 no.2
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• pp.135-154
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• 2014

Aerodynamic characteristics of crescent and D-shape bundled conductors were measured by high frequency force balance technique in the wind tunnel. The drag and lift coefficients of each sub-conductor and the whole bundled conductors were presented under various attack angles of wind. The galloping possibility of bundled conductors is discussed based on the Den Hartog criterion. The influence of icing thickness, initial ice accretion angle and sub-conductor on the aerodynamic properties were investigated. Based on the measured aerodynamic force coefficients, a computationally efficient finite element method is also implemented to analyze galloping of iced bundled conductors. The analysis results show that each sub-conductor of the bundled conductor has its own galloping feature due to the use of aerodynamic forces measured separately for every single sub-conductors.

• Wind and Structures
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• v.29 no.4
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• pp.225-234
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• 2019

Conductor galloping is a common disaster for the transmission lines. Among the existing analytical methods, the wind tunnel test is highlighted as the most effective approach to obtain the aerodynamic coefficients. In this paper, the aerodynamic coefficients of 12 conductor models covered with the crescent-shaped ice, which were fabricated considering the surface roughness of the iced conductor, were obtained based on the wind tunnel test. The influence of the Reynolds number and the shape parameter ${\beta}$, defined as the ratio of ice thickness to the diameter, were investigated. In addition, the effect of surface roughness of the iced conductor was discussed. Subsequently, unsteady areas of conductor galloping were calculated according to the Den Hartog criterion and the Nigol criterion. The results indicate that the aerodynamic coefficients of iced conductors change sharply at the attack angles of $20^{\circ}$ and $170^{\circ}$ with the increase of ${\beta}$. The surface roughness of iced conductors changed the range of attack angle, which was influenced by the increase of the Reynolds number. The experimental results can provide insights for preventing and controlling galloping.

• Wind and Structures
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• v.23 no.6
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• pp.595-613
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• 2016

Large amplitude oscillation of steepled main cables usually presents during construction of a long-span bridge. To study this phenomenon, six typical main cables with different cross sections during construction are investigated. Two main foci have been conducted. Firstly, aerodynamic coefficients of a main cable are obtained and compared through simulation and wind tunnel test: (1) to ensure the simulation accuracy, influences of the numerical model's grid size, and the jaggy edges of main cable's cross section on main cable's aerodynamic coefficients are investigated; (2) aerodynamic coefficients of main cables at different wind attack angles are obtained based on the wind tunnel test in which the experimental model is made by rigid plastic using the 3D Printing Technology; (3) then numerical results are compared with wind tunnel test results, and they are in good agreement. Secondly, aerodynamic coefficients of the six main cables at different wind attack angles are obtained through numerical simulation. Then Den Hartog criterion is used to analyze the transverse galloping of main cables during construction. Results show all the six main cables may undergo galloping, which may be an important reason for the large amplitude oscillation of steepled main cables during construction. The flow structures around the main cables indicate that the characteristic of the airflow trajectory over a steepled main cable may play an important role in the galloping generation. Engineers should take some effective measures to control this harmful phenomenon due to the big possibility of the onset of galloping during the construction period.

• Wind and Structures
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• v.35 no.1
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• pp.55-66
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• 2022

Tall buildings are often subjected to steady and unsteady forces due to external wind flows. Measurement and mitigation of these forces becomes critical to structural design in engineering applications. Over the last few decades, many approaches such as modification of the external geometry of structures have been investigated to mitigate wind-induced load. One such proven geometric modification involved the rounding of sharp corners. In this work, we systematically analyze the impact of rounded corner radii on the reducing the flow-induced loading on a square cylinder. We perform 3-Dimensional (3D) simulations for high Reynolds number flows (Re=1 × 105) which are more likely to be encountered in practical applications. An Improved Delayed Detached Eddy Simulation (IDDES) method capable of capturing flow accurately at large Reynolds numbers is employed in this study. The IDDES formulation uses a k-ω Shear Stress Transport (SST) model for near-wall modelling that prevents mesh-induced separation of the boundary layer. The effects of these corner modifications are analyzed in terms of the resulting variations in the mean and fluctuating components of the aerodynamic forces compared to a square cylinder with no geometric changes. Plots of the angular distribution of the mean and fluctuating coefficient of pressure along the square cylinder's surface illustrate the effects of corner modifications on the different parts of the cylinder. The windward corner's separation angle was observed to decrease with an increase in radius, resulting in a narrower and longer recirculation region. Furthermore, with an increase in radius, a reduction in the fluctuating lift, mean drag, and fluctuating drag coefficients has been observed.