• Smart Structures and Systems
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• v.17 no.3
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• pp.491-522
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• 2016

A benchmark problem for modal identification of a cable-stayed bridge was proposed by a research team at Hong Kong Polytechnic University. By taking an instrumented cable-stayed bridge as a test bed, nineteen sets of vibration records with known/unknown excitations were provided to invited researchers. In this paper, the vibration responses of the bridge under a series of excitation conditions are examined to estimate the wind and traffic-induced variations of its dynamic characteristics. Firstly, two output-only experimental modal identification methods are selected. Secondly, the bridge and its monitoring system are described and the nineteen sets of vibration records are analyzed in time-domain and frequency-domain. Excitations sources of blind datasets are predicted based on the analysis of excitation conditions of known datasets. Thirdly, modal parameters are extracted by using the two selected output-only modal identification methods. The identified modal parameters are examined with respect to at least two different conditions such as traffic- and typhoon-induced loadings. Finally, the typhoon-induced effects on dynamic characteristics of the bridge are estimated by analyzing the relationship between the wind velocity and the modal parameters.

• Wind and Structures
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• v.21 no.2
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• pp.119-158
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• 2015

The characteristics of the coherence functions of X axial, Y axial, and RZ axial (i.e., body axis) wind forces on the Shanghai World Trade Centre - a 492 m super-tall building with section varying along height are studied via a synchronous multi-pressure measurement of the rigid model in wind tunnel simulating of the turbulent, and the corresponding mathematical expressions are proposed there from. The investigations show that the mathematical expressions of coherence functions in across-wind and torsional-wind directions can be constructed by superimposition of a modified exponential decay function and a peak function caused by turbulent flow and vortex shedding respectively, while that in along-wind direction need only be constructed by the former, similar to that of wind speed. Moreover, an inductive analysis method is proposed to summarize the fitted parameters of the wind force coherence functions of every two measurement levels of altitudes. The comparisons of the first three order generalized force spectra show that the proposed mathematical expressions accord with the experimental results well. Later, the influences of coherence functions on wind-induced dynamic responses are analyzed in detail based on the proposed mathematical expressions and the frequency-domain method of random vibration theory.

• Journal of the wind engineering institute of Korea
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• v.22 no.4
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• pp.171-177
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• 2018

In order to investigate the cause of damage of the offshore meteorological tower, the measured wind speed data were analyzed, the dynamic displacement due to fluctuating wind load and wave load was calculated, and the fatigue was examined for vortex-induced vibration. It was confirmed from the results that the vibration lasting for four hours occurred in the meteorological tower when the maximum wind speeds for 10 minutes were compared for both the vane anemometer and ultrasonic anemometer. The effect of the gust wind on the dynamic response of the meteorological tower was greater than the wave. However, the combined forces acting on the meteorological tower was much lower than the design force even though the wind and wave loads were simultaneously applied. The vortex-induced vibration seemed to be cause of the fatigue failure in the connecting bolts. The destruction of the offshore meteorological tower was considered to be a vortex-induced vibration, not a fluctuating fluid flows.

• Wind and Structures
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• v.38 no.3
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• pp.193-202
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• 2024

Modern high-rise tower designs incorporating recessed balcony cavity spaces can be prone to high-frequency and narrow-band Rossiter aerodynamic excitations under glancing incident winds that can harmonize and compete with recessed balcony volume acoustic Helmholtz modes and facade elastic responses. Resulting resonant inertial wind loading to balcony facades responding to these excitations is additive to the peak design wind pressures currently allowed for in wind codes and can present as excessive facade vibrations and sub-audible throbbing in the serviceability range of wind speeds. This paper presents a methodology to determine Cavity Amplification Factors to account for façade resonant inertial wind loads resulting from balcony cavity aero-acoustic-elastic resonances by drawing upon field observations and the results of full-scale monitoring and model-scale wind tunnel tests. Recessed balcony cavities with single orifice type openings and located within curved façade tower geometries appear particularly prone. A Cavity Amplification Factor of 1.8 is calculated in one example representing almost a doubling of local façade design wind pressures. Balcony façade and tower design recommendations to mitigate wind induced aero-acoustic-elastic resonances are provided.

• Wind and Structures
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• v.16 no.4
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• pp.373-391
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• 2013

This is the first of two companion papers that analyse ten years of on-site monitoring data for the Confederation Bridge to determine the validity of the original wind speeds and wind loads predicted in 1994 when the bridge was being designed. The check of the original design values is warranted because the design wind speed at the middle of Northumberland Strait was derived from data collected at shore-based weather stations, and the design wind loads were based on tests of section and full-aeroelastic models in the wind tunnel. This first paper uses wind, tilt, and acceleration monitoring data to determine the static and dynamic responses of the bridge, which are then used in the second paper to derive the static and dynamic wind loads. It is shown that the design ten-minute mean wind speed with a 100-year return period is 1.5% less than the 1994 design value, and that the bridge has been subjected to this design event once on November 7, 2001. The dynamic characteristics of the instrumented spans of the bridge including frequencies, mode shapes and damping are in good agreement with published values reported by others. The on-site monitoring data show bridge response to be that of turbulent buffeting which is consistent with the response predicted at the design stage.

• International Journal of High-Rise Buildings
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• v.3 no.4
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• pp.305-310
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• 2014

Wind-induced responses of a structure are often evaluated through dynamic analysis, where measured wind forces obtained from a wind-tunnel test and dynamic properties obtained from a FE (Finite Element) model are utilized. However, the FE model generally shows considerable discrepancies in the estimation of natural frequencies compared to field measurements due to some assumptions and simplifications. In this paper, a calibration method that can improve the estimation of natural frequencies in the FE model is proposed, and specific cases are studied for its validity with comparison to the field measurement results.

• Wind and Structures
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• v.32 no.4
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• pp.341-354
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• 2021

Articulated towers are one of the class of compliant offshore structures that freely oscillates with wind and waves, as they are designed to have low natural frequency than ocean waves. The present study deals with the dynamic response of a double-pendulum articulated tower under hydrodynamic and aerodynamic loads. The wind field is simulated by two approaches, namely, single-point and multiple-point. Nonlinearities such as instantaneous tower orientation, variable added mass, fluctuating buoyancy, and geometrical nonlinearities are duly considered in the analysis. Hamilton's principle is used to derive the nonlinear equations of motion (EOM). The EOM is solved in the time domain by using the Wilson-θ method. The maximum, minimum, mean, and standard deviation and salient power spectral density functions (PSDF) of deck displacement, bending moment, and central hinge shear are drawn for high and moderate sea states. The outcome of the analyses shows that tower response under multiple-point wind-field simulation results in lower responses when compared to that of single-point simulation.

• Wind and Structures
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• v.20 no.6
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• pp.719-737
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• 2015

Full scale measurement on the structural dynamic characteristics and Vortex-induced Vibrations (VIV) of a long-span suspension bridge with a central span of 1650 m were conducted. Different Finite Element (FE) modeling principles for the separated twin-box girder were compared and evaluated with the field vibration test results, and the double-spine model was determined to be the best simulation model, but certain modification still needs to be made which will affect the basic modeling parameters and the dynamic response prediction values of corresponding wind tunnel tests. Based on the FE modal analysis results, small-scaled and large-scaled sectional model tests were both carried out to investigate the VIV responses, and probable Reynolds Number effects or scale effect on VIV responses were presented. Based on the observed VIV modes in the field measurement, the VIV results obtained from sectional model tests were converted into those of the three-dimensional (3D) full-scale bridge and subsequently compared with field measurement results. It is indicated that the large-scaled sectional model test can probably provide a reasonable and effective prediction on VIV response.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.58 no.6
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• pp.967-988
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• 2016

Due to the significant aerodynamic interference from sub-towers and surrounding tall buildings, the wind loads and dynamic responses on main tower of three-tower connected tall building typically change especially compared with those on the isolated single tall building. This paper addresses the wind load effects and equivalent static wind loads (ESWLs) of three-tower connected tall building based on measured synchronous surface pressures in a wind tunnel. The variations of the global shape coefficients and extremum wind loads of main tower structure with or without interference effect under different wind directions are studied, pointing out the deficiency of the traditional wind loads based on the load codes for the three-tower connected tall building. The ESWLs calculation method based on elastic restoring forces is proposed, which completely contains the quasi-static item, inertia item and the coupled effect between them. Then the wind-induced displacement and acceleration responses for main tower of three-tower connected tall building in the horizontal and torsional directions are investigated, subsequently the structural basal and floor ESWLs under different return periods, wind directions and damping ratios are studied. Finally, the action mechanism of interference effect on structural wind effects is investigated. Main conclusions can provide a sientific basis for the wind-resistant design of such three-tower connected tall building.

• International Journal of High-Rise Buildings
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• v.10 no.2
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• pp.85-92
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• 2021

Dynamic vibration absorbers (DVAs) in the form of tuned sloshing dampers (TSDs) and tuned mass dampers (TMDs) are commonly used to reduce the wind-induced motion of high-rise buildings. Full-scale performance of structure-DVA systems must be evaluated during the DVA commissioning process using structural monitoring data. While the random decrement technique (RDT) is sometimes employed to evaluate the DVA performance, it is shown to have no theoretical justification for application to structure-DVA systems, and to produce erroneous results. Subsequently, several practical methods with a sound theoretical basis are presented and illustrated using simulated and real-world data. By monitoring the responses of the structure and DVA simultaneously, it is possible to directly measure the effective damping of the system or perform system identification from which the DVA performance can be evaluated.