• Wind and Structures
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• v.35 no.4
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• pp.243-253
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• 2022

The conformal mapping method (CMM) has been broadly exploited in the study of fluid flows over airfoils and other research areas, yet it's hard to find relevant research in bridge engineering. This paper explores the feasibility of CMM in streamlined box girder bridges. Firstly, the mapping function transforming a unit circle to the streamlined box girder was solved by CMM. Subsequently, the potential flow solution of aerostatic pressure on the streamlined box girder was obtained and was compared with numerical simulation results. Finally, the aerostatic pressure attained by CMM was utilized to estimate the aerostatic coefficient and flutter performance of the streamlined box girder. The results indicate that the solution of the aerostatic pressure by CMM on the windward side is satisfactory within a small angle of attack. Considering the windward aerostatic pressure and coefficient of correction, CMM can be employed to estimate the rate of change of the lift and moment coefficients with angle of attack and the influence of the geometric shape of the streamlined box girder on flutter performance.

• Wind and Structures
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• v.32 no.4
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• pp.309-319
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• 2021

The vortex-drift pattern over a girder surface, actually demonstrating the complex fluid-structure interactions between the structure and surrounding flow, is strongly correlated with the VIVs but has still not been elucidated and may be useful for modeling VIVs. The complex fluid-structure interactions between the structure and surrounding flow are considerably simplified in constructing a vortex model to describe the vortex-drift pattern characterized by the ratio of the vortex-drift velocity to the oncoming flow velocity, considering the aerodynamic work. A spring-suspended sectional model (SSSM) is used to measure the pressure in wind tunnel tests, and the aerodynamic parameters for a typical streamlined closed-box girder are obtained from the spatial distribution of the phase lags between the distributed aerodynamic forces at each pressure point and the vortex-excited forces (VEFs). The results show that the ratio of the vortex-drift velocity to the oncoming flow velocity is inversely proportional to the vibration amplitude in the lock-in region and therefore attributed to the "lock-in" phenomena of the VIVs. Installing spoilers on handrails can destroy the regular vortex-drift pattern along the girder surface and thus suppress vertical VIVs.

• Wind and Structures
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• v.25 no.4
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• pp.343-360
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• 2017

The post-flutter state of streamlined steel box girder is studied in this paper. Firstly, the nonlinear aerodynamic self-excited forces of the bridge deck cross section were investigated by CFD dynamic mesh technique and then the nonlinear flutter derivatives were identified on this basis. Secondly, based on the 2-degree-of-freedom (DOF) coupling flutter theory, the torsional amplitude and the nonlinear flutter derivatives were introduced into the traditional direct flutter calculation method, and the original program was improved to the "post-flutter state analysis program" so that it can predict not only the critical flutter velocity but also the movement of the girder in the post-flutter state. Finally, wind tunnel tests were set to verify the method proposed in this paper. The results show that the effect of vertical amplitude on the nonlinear flutter derivatives is negligible, but the torsional amplitude is not; with the increase of wind speed, the post-flutter state of streamlined steel box girder includes four stages, namely, "little amplitude zone", "step amplitude zone", "linearly growing amplitude zone" and "divergence zone"; damping ratio has limited effect on the critical flutter velocity and the steady state response in the post-flutter state; after flutter occurs, the vibration form is a single frequency vibration coupled with torsional and vertical DOF.

• Wind and Structures
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• v.30 no.1
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• pp.55-67
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• 2020

Wind tunnel test is one of the most important means to study the flutter performance of bridges, but there are blockage effects in flutter test due to the size limitation of the wind tunnel. On the other hand, the size of computational domain can be defined by users in the numerical simulation. This paper presents a study on blockage effects of a simplified box girder by computation fluid dynamics (CFD) simulation, the blockage effects on the aerodynamic characteristics and flutter performance of a long-span suspension bridge are studied. The results show that the aerodynamic coefficients and the absolute value of mean pressure coefficient increase with the increase of the blockage ratio. And the aerodynamic coefficients can be corrected by the mean wind speed in the plane of leading edge of model. At each angle of attack, the critical flutter wind speed decreases as the blockage ratio increases, but the difference is that bending-torsion coupled flutter and torsional flutter occur at lower and larger angles of attack respectively. Finally, the correction formula of critical wind speed at 0° angle of attack is given, which can provide reference for wind resistance design of streamlined box girders in practical engineering.

• Wind and Structures
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• v.32 no.5
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• pp.509-520
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• 2021

The streamlined box is a common type of girders for long-span suspension bridges. Spanning deep canyons, long-span bridges are frequently attacked by strong winds with large angles of attack. In this situation, the flow field around the streamlined box changes significantly, leading to reduction of the flutter performance. The wind fairings have different effects on the flutter performance. Therefore, this study examines the flutter performance of box girders with different wind fairings at large angles of attack. Computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulations were carried out to extract the flutter derivatives, and the critical flutter state of a long-span bridge was determined. Further comparisons of the wind fairings were investigated by a rapid method which is related to the input energy by the aerodynamic force. The results show that a reasonable type of wind fairings could improve the flutter performance of long-span bridges at large angles of attack. For the torsional flutter instability, the wind fairings weaken the adverse effect of the vortex attaching to the girder, and a sharper one could achieve a better result. According to the input energies on the girder with different wind fairings, the symmetrical wind fairings are more beneficial to the flutter performance

• Wind and Structures
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• v.12 no.3
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• pp.205-217
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• 2009

Aerodynamic flutter control for long-span cable-supported bridges was investigated based on three basic girder sections, i.e. streamlined box girder section, box girder section with cantilevered slabs and two-isolated-girder section. Totally four kinds of aerodynamic flutter control measures (adding fairings, central-slotting, adding central stabilizers and adjusting the position of inspection rail) were included in this research. Their flutter control effects on different basic girder sections were evaluated by sectional model or aeroelastic model wind tunnel tests. It is found that all basic girder sections can get aerodynamically more stabled with appropriate aerodynamic flutter control measures, while the control effects are influenced by the details of control measures and girder section configurations. The control effects of the combinations of these four kinds of aerodynamic flutter control measures, such as central-slotting plus central-stabilizer, were also investigated through sectional model wind tunnel tests, summarized and compared to the flutter control effect of single measure respectively.

• Wind and Structures
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• v.32 no.3
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• pp.179-191
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• 2021

A series of wind tunnel tests, including 1:50 sectional model tests, 1:50 free-standing bridge tower tests and 1:70 full-bridge aeroelastic model tests were carried out to systematically investigate the aerodynamic performance of the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge (HZMB). The test result indicates that there are three wind-resistant safety issues the HZMB encounters, including unacceptable low flutter critical wind speed, vertical vortex-induced vibration (VIV) of the main girder and galloping of the bridge tower in across-wind direction. Wind-induced vibration of HZMB can be effectively suppressed by the application of aerodynamic and mechanical measures. Acceptable flutter critical wind speed is achieved by optimizing the main girder form (before: large cantilever steel box girder, after: streamlined steel box girder) and cable type (before: central cable, after: double cable); The installations of wind fairing, guide plates and increasing structural damping are proved to be useful in suppressing the VIV of the HZMB; The galloping can be effectively suppressed by optimizing the interior angle on the windward side of the bridge tower. The present works provide scientific basis and guidance for wind resistance design of the HZMB.

• KSCE Journal of Civil and Environmental Engineering Research
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• v.33 no.1
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• pp.93-100
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• 2013

The objective of present study is to investigate the sensitivity of aerostatic force coefficients of twin box girder of Yi Sun-sin Bridge according to the Reynolds numbers. This paper presents the 1:30 scale sectional model tests conducted at high speed wind tunnel in Korea Air Force Academy. Comparison with results at low Reynolds number obtained in KOCED Wind Tunnel Center in Chonbuk National University is also provide. The Reynolds number dependency of aerodynamic force coefficients were observed at present streamlined twin box girder. The drag coefficient revealed significant decrease of nearby 23% at supercritical region. The boundary layer trip strip was found to reduce the Reynolds number dependency of aerodynamic forces by fixing the location of flow transition.

• Wind and Structures
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• v.6 no.4
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• pp.263-278
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• 2003

This study investigates the effects of a bridge deck's width-to-depth (B/H) ratio and turbulence on buffeting response and flutter critical wind speed of long-span bridges by conducting section model tests. A streamlined box section and a plate girder section, each with four B/H ratios, were tested in smooth and turbulent flows. The results show that for the box girders, the response increases with the B/H ratio, especially in the vertical direction. For the plate girders, the vertical response also increases with the B/H ratio. However, the torsional response decreases as the B/H ratio increases. Increasing the B/H ratio and intensity of turbulence tends to improve the bridge's aerodynamic stability. Experimental results obtained from the section model tests agree reasonably with the calculated results obtained from a numerical analysis.

• KSCE Journal of Civil and Environmental Engineering Research
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• v.3 no.3
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• pp.27-37
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• 1983

A method of dynamic analysis is developed for torsional free vibrations of elliptical-box girder type or stiffening truss system suspension bridge. In this study, the method based on a finite element technique using a digital computer, is illustrated by two numerical examples, the Namhae Bridge which is located in Kyungsang nam-do opened on June, 1973, and the Mt. Chunma Bridge is simple span pedestrian's suspension bridge with lateral bracing system in Mt. Chunma, Kyungki-do, are used. In general, dynamic modes of complex suspension bridges are three-dimensional in form, i.e., coupling between vertical and torsional motions. However, introduced that amplitudes of oscillation are infinitesimal for coincidence with the purpose of it's use, thereupon, the torsional vibration analyses are treated without coupling terms. A sufficient number of natural frequencies and mode shapes for torsional free vibration are presented in this paper. In the case of Mt. Chunma Bridge, the natural frequencies and periods are computed with and without reinforcement, respectively, and compared their discrepancies. The influence of the auxiliary reinforcing cables is prevailing in the first few modes, namely, 1st and 2nd in symmetric and 1st, 2nd and 3rd in antisymmetric vibration, and conspicuous in the symmetric compared with the antisymmetric motion, but in the higher modes, this kind of simple accessory elucidates rether converse effects. In the Namhae Bridge, the results are compared with the Manual's obtained by wind tunnel test. It reveals commendable agreement.