Aerostatic load on the deck of cable-stayed bridge in erection stage under skew wind

In conventional buffeting theory, it is assumed that the aerostatic coefficients along a bridge deck follow the strip assumption. The validity of this assumption is suspect for a cable-stayed bridge in the construction stages, due to the effect of significant aerodynamic interference from the pylon. This situation may be aggravated in skew winds. Therefore, the most adverse buffeting usually occurs when the wind is not normal to bridge axis, which indicates the invalidity of the traditional "cosine rule". In order to refine the studies of static wind load on the deck of cable-stayed bridge under skew wind during its most adverse construction stage, a full bridge 'aero-stiff' model technique was used to identify the aerostatic loads on each deck segment, in smooth oncoming flow, with various yaw angles. The results show that the shelter effect of the pylon may not be ignored, and can amplify the aerostatic loading on the bridge deck under skew winds ($10^{\circ}-30^{\circ}$) with certain wind attack angles, and consequently results in the "cosine rule" becoming invalid for the buffeting estimation of cable-stayed bridge during erection for these wind directions.