• Wind and Structures
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• v.30 no.1
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• pp.85-97
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• 2020

The accurate estimation of the buffeting response of a bridge pylon is related to the quality of the bridge construction. To evaluate the influence of wind field characteristics on the buffeting response of a pylon in a trumpet-shaped mountain pass, this paper deduced a multimodal coupled buffeting frequency domain calculation method for a variable-section bridge tower under the twisted wind profile condition based on quasi-steady theory. Through the long-term measurement of the wind field of the trumpet-shaped mountain pass, the wind characteristics were studied systematically. The effects of the wind characteristics, wind yaw angles, mean wind speeds, and wind profiles on the buffeting response were discussed. The results show that the mean wind characteristics are affected by the terrain and that the wind profile is severely twisted. The optimal fit distribution of the monthly and annual maximum wind speeds is the log-logistic distribution, and the generalized extreme value I distribution may underestimate the return wind speed. The design wind characteristics will overestimate the buffeting response of the pylon. The buffeting response of the pylon is obviously affected by the wind yaw angle and mean wind speed. To accurately estimate the buffeting response of the pylon in an actual construction, it is necessary to consider the twisted effect of the wind profile.

• Wind and Structures
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• v.19 no.6
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• pp.665-686
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• 2014

This study presents a comprehensive investigation of the aerostatic and buffeting response characteristics of a suspension bridge catwalk. The three-dimensional aerostatic response analysis was carried out taking into account the geometric nonlinearity and nonlinear dependence of wind loads on the angle of attack. The buffeting response analysis was performed in the time domain. The aerostatic and buffeting responses of the catwalk show strong coupling of vertical and lateral vibrations. The lateral displacement is the main component of the wind-induced static and buffeting response of the catwalk.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.14 no.5
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• pp.505-520
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• 2002

Based on the modal coordinates of the structure, a finite-element and CQC (complete quadratic combination) method for analyzing the coupled buffeting response of long-span bridges is presented. The formulation of nodal equivalent aerodynamic buffeting forces is derived based on a reasonable assumption. The power spectral density and variance of nodal displacements and elemental internal forces of the bridge structure are computed using the finite-element method and the random vibration theory. The method presented is very efficient and can consider the arbitrary spectrum and spatial coherence of natural winds and the multimode and intermode effects on the buffeting responses of bridge structures. A coupled buffeting analysis of the Jiangyin Yangtse River Suspension Bridge with 1385 in main span is performed as an example. The results analyzed show that the multimode and intermode effects on the buffeting response of the bridge deck are quite remarkable.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.46 no.4
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• pp.549-569
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• 2013

A passive control using flaps will be an alternative solution for flutter stability and buffeting response of a long suspension bridge. This method not only enables a lightweight economic stiffening girder without an additional stiffness for aerodynamic stability but also avoid the problems from the malfunctions of control systems and energy supply system of an active control by winglets and flaps. A time domain approach for predicting the coupled flutter and buffeting response of bridge deck with flaps is investigated. First, the flutter derivatives of bridge deck and flaps are found by experiment. Next, the derivation of time domain model of self-excited forces and control forces of sectional model is reported by using the rational function approximation. Finally, the effectiveness of passive flap control is investigated by the numerical simulation. The results show that the passive control by using flaps can increase the flutter speed and decrease the buffeting response. The experiment results are matched with numerical ones.

• KSCE Journal of Civil and Environmental Engineering Research
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• v.33 no.1
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• pp.71-80
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• 2013

According to design specifications for structural safety, a bridge in initial design step has been modelled to have larger self-weight, external loads and less stiffness than those of real one in service. Thereby measured buffeting responses of existing bridge show different distributions from those of the design model in design step. In order to obtain accurate buffeting responses of the in-site bridge, the analysis model needs to be modified by considering the measured natural frequencies. Until now, a Manual Tuning Method (MTM) has been widely used to obtain the Measurement-based Model(MBM) that has equal natural frequencies to the real bridge. However, since state variables can be selected randomly and its result is not apt to converge exact rapidly, MTM takes a lot of effort and elapsed time. This study presents Buffeting Response Correction Method (BRCM) to obtain more exact buffeting response above MTM. The BRCM is based on the idea the commonly used frequency domain buffeting analysis does not need all structural properties except mode shapes, natural frequencies and damping ratio. BRCM is used to improve each modal buffeting responses of the design model by substituting measured natural frequencies. The measured natural frequencies are determined from acceleration time-history in ordinary vibration of the real bridge. As illustrated examples, simple beam is applied to compare the results of BRCM with those of a assumed MBM by numerical simulation. Buffeting responses of BRCM are shown to be appropriate for those of in-site bridge and the difference is less than 3% between the responses of BRCM and MTM. Therefore, BRCM can calculate easily and conveniently the buffeting responses and improve effectively maintenance and management of in-site bridge than MTM.

• Wind and Structures
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• v.7 no.6
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• pp.421-447
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• 2004

This paper presents a time domain approach for predicting buffeting response of long suspension bridges under skew winds. The buffeting forces on an oblique strip of the bridge deck in the mean wind direction are derived in terms of aerodynamic coefficients measured under skew winds and equivalent fluctuating wind velocities with aerodynamic impulse functions included. The time histories of equivalent fluctuating wind velocities and then buffeting forces along the bridge deck are simulated using the spectral representation method based on the Gaussian distribution assumption. The self-excited forces on an oblique strip of the bridge deck are represented by the convolution integrals involving aerodynamic impulse functions and structural motions. The aerodynamic impulse functions of self-excited forces are derived from experimentally measured flutter derivatives under skew winds using rational function approximations. The governing equation of motion of a long suspension bridge under skew winds is established using the finite element method and solved using the Newmark numerical method. The proposed time domain approach is finally applied to the Tsing Ma suspension bridge in Hong Kong. The computed buffeting responses of the bridge under skew winds during Typhoon Sam are compared with those obtained from the frequency domain approach and the field measurement. The comparisons are found satisfactory for the bridge response in the main span.

• Wind and Structures
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• v.32 no.2
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• pp.89-104
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• 2021

Non-synoptic winds generated by tornadoes, downbursts or gust fronts exhibit significant non-stationarity and can cause significant wind load effect on flexible structures such as long-span bridges. However, conventional assumptions on stationarity used to evaluate the structural wind-induced vibration are inadequate. In this paper, an efficient frequency domain scheme based on fast CQC method, which can predict non-stationary buffeting random responses of long-span bridges, is presented, and then this approach is applied to evaluate the buffeting response of a long-span suspension bridge located in a complex mountainous wind environment as an example. In this study, the data-driven method based on one available measured wind speed sample is firstly presented to establish non-stationary wind models, including time-varying mean wind speed, time-varying intensity envelope function and uniformly modulated fluctuating spectrum. Then, a linear time-variant (LTV) system based on the proposed scheme can be generally applied to calculate the non-stationary buffeting responses. The effectiveness and accuracy of the proposed scheme are verified through Monte Carlo time domain simulation implemented in ANSYS platform. Also, the transient effect nature of the bridge responses is further illustrated by comparison of the non-stationary, quasistationary and steady-state cases. Finally, buffeting response analysis with traditional stationary treatment (10 min constant mean plus stationary wind fluctuation) is performed to illustrate the importance of the non-stationary characteristics embedded in original wind speed samples.

• Wind and Structures
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• v.6 no.3
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• pp.179-196
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• 2003

A long suspension bridge is often located within a unique wind environment, and strong winds at the site seldom attack the bridge at a right angle to its long axis. This paper thus investigates the buffeting response of long suspension bridges to skew winds. The conventional buffeting analysis in the frequency domain is first improved to take into account skew winds based on the quasi-steady theory and the oblique strip theory in conjunction with the finite element method and the pseudo-excitation method. The aerodynamic coefficients and flutter derivatives of the Tsing Ma suspension bridge deck under skew winds, which are required in the improved buffeting analysis, are then measured in a wind tunnel using specially designed test rigs. The field measurement data, which were recorded during Typhoon Sam in 1999 by the Wind And Structural Health Monitoring System (WASHMS) installed on the Tsing Ma Bridge, are analyzed to obtain both wind characteristics and buffeting responses. Finally, the field measured buffeting responses of the Tsing Ma Bridge are compared with those from the computer simulation using the improved method and the aerodynamic coefficients and flutter derivatives measured under skew winds. The comparison is found satisfactory in general.

• Wind and Structures
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• v.4 no.6
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• pp.505-518
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• 2001

Shantou Bay Bridge is the first long-span suspension bridge in China. Because of its location near the Shantou Seaport and its exposure to high typhoon winds, wind-resistant studies are necessary to be made. In this paper, critical flutter wind speeds and buffeting responses of this bridge at its operation and main construction stages are investigated. The Buffeting Response Spectrum method is first briefly presented. Then the sectional model test is carried out to directly obtain the critical flutter wind speed and to identify the flutter derivatives, which are adopted for the later analysis of the buffeting responses using the Buffeting Response Spectrum method. Finally the aeroelastic full bridge model is tested to further investigate the dynamic effects of the bridge. The results from the tests and the computations indicate that the flutter and buffeting behaviors of the Shantou Bay Bridge are satisfied.

• Wind and Structures
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• v.14 no.2
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• pp.153-165
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• 2011

The alternative solution for flutter and buffeting stability of a long suspension bridge will be a passive control using flaps. This method not only enables a lightweight economic stiffening girder without an additional stiffness for aerodynamic stability but also avoid the problems from the malfunctions of control systems and energy supply system of an active control by winglets and flaps. A mechanically control using flaps for increasing flutter speed and decreasing buffeting response of a suspension bridge is experimentally studied through a two dimensional bridge deck model. The result shows that the flutter speed is increased and the buffeting response is decreased through the mechanical drive of the flaps.