• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.85 no.1
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• pp.81-88
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• 2023

This paper begins by analyzing cable vibrations due to external excitations and their effects on the overall dynamic behavior of cable-stayed bridges. It is concluded that if the natural frequency of a cable approaches any natural frequency of the bridge, the cable loses its rigidity and functionality. The results of this analysis explain the phenomenon that occurred on the Dubrovnik Bridge in Croatia during a storm and measures for its retrofit. A field test was conducted before the bridge was opened to traffic. It was concluded: "The Bridge excited unpleasant transverse superstructure vibration with the frequency of approximately 0.470 Hz. Hence, it seems possible that a pair of stays vibrating in phase may excite deck vibrations". Soon after this Bridge opened, a storm dumped heavy damp snow in the area, causing the six longest cable stay pairs of the main span to undergo large-amplitude vibrations, and the superstructure underwent considerable displacements in combined torsion-sway and bending modes. This necessitated rehabilitation measures for the Bridge including devices to suppress the large-amplitude vibrations of cables. The rehabilitation and monitoring of the Bridge are also presented here.

• Wind and Structures
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• v.26 no.4
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• pp.253-266
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• 2018

In this paper, the aerodynamic performance of two new cable surfaces with concave fillets (strakes) is examined and compared to plain, dimpled and helically filleted surfaces. To this end, an extensive wind-tunnel campaign was undertaken. Different samples with different concave fillet heights for both new surfaces were tested and compared to traditional surfaces in terms of aerodynamic forces (i.e. drag and lift reduction) and rain-rivulet suppression. Furthermore, flow visualization tests were performed to investigate the flow separation mechanism induced by the presence of the concave fillet and its relation to the aerodynamic forces. Both new cable surfaces outperformed the traditional surfaces in terms of rain-rivulet suppression thanks to the ability of the concave shape of the fillet to act as a ramp for the incoming rain-rivulet. Furthermore, both new surfaces with the lowest tested fillet height were found to have drag coefficients in the supercritical Reynolds range that compare favorably to existing cable surfaces, with an early suppression of vortex shedding.

• Wind and Structures
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• v.3 no.4
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• pp.267-277
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• 2000

This paper aims to describe the aerodynamic vibrations of various structural elements of bridges, which are particular issues at present. The aerodynamic countermeasures for those vibrations are also discussed considering the generation mechanisms of the aerodynamic instabilities. In this paper, an example of vortex-induced oscillation of bridge deck and its lesson are discussed. Next, the wind-induced cable vibration and its aerodynamic countermeasures are reviewed. Then, the aerodynamic characteristics on two edge girders and their feasibility for application to long span cable-stayed bridges are considered. Furthermore, the bridge decks for future long span bridges are proposed and their aerodynamic characteristics are also discussed.

• Wind and Structures
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• v.8 no.2
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• pp.107-120
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• 2005

The quasi-steady approaches to simulate the wind induced vibrations of inclined cables, especially on the rain-wind induced vibration, have been tried by many researchers. However, the steady wind force coefficients used in those methods include only the effects of water rivulet, but not the axial flow effects. The problem is the direct application of the conventional techniques to the inclined cable aerodynamics. Therefore, in this study, the method to implement the axial flow effects in the quasi-steady theory is considered and its applicability to the inclined cable aerodynamics is investigated. Then, it becomes clear that the perforated splitter plate in the wake of non-yawed circular cylinder can include the effects of axial flow in the steady wind force coefficients for inclined cables to a certain extent. Using the lateral force coefficients measured in this study, the quasi-steady theory may explain the wind induced instabilities of the inclined cables only in the relatively high reduced wind velocity region. When the Scruton number is less than around 40, the high speed vortex-induced vibration occurs around the onset wind velocity region of the galloping, and then, the quasi-steady approach cannot be applied for estimating the response of wind-induced vibration of inclined cable.

• Wind and Structures
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• v.30 no.6
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• pp.617-631
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• 2020

Wake-induced aerodynamics of yawed circular cylinders with smooth and grooved surfaces in a tandem arrangement was studied. This pair of cylinders represent sections of stay-cables with smooth surfaces and high-voltage power conductors with grooved surfaces that are vulnerable to flow-induced structural failure. The study provides some insight for a better understanding of wake-induced loads and galloping problem of bundled cables. All experiments in this study were conducted using a pair of stationary section models of circular cylinders in a wind tunnel subjected to uniform and smooth flow. The aerodynamic force coefficients and vortex-shedding frequency of the downstream model were extracted from the surface pressure distribution. For measurement, polished aluminum tubes were used as smooth cables; and hollow tubes with a helically grooved surface were used as power conductors. The aerodynamic properties of the downstream model were captured at wind speeds of about 6-23 m/s (Reynolds number of 5×10⁴ to 2.67×10⁵ for smooth cable and 2×10⁴ to 1.01×10⁵ for grooved cable) and yaw angles ranging from 0° to 45° while the upstream model was fixed at the various spacing between the two model cylinders. The results showed that the Strouhal number of yawed cable is less than the non-yawed case at a given Reynolds number, and its value is smaller than the Strouhal number of a single cable. Additionally, compared to the single smooth cable, it was observed that there was a reduction of drag coefficient of the downstream model, but no change in a drag coefficient of the downstream grooved case in the range of Reynolds number in this study.

• Wind and Structures
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• v.8 no.2
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• pp.135-146
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• 2005

Divergent galloping-like motion of a dry inclined cable has been observed in a limited number of experimental studies, which, due to the uncertainties in its onset conditions, has induced serious concerns in the bridge stay cable design. A series of dynamic and static model wind tunnel tests have been carried out to confirm the existence of the phenomenon and clarify its excitation mechanism. The present paper focuses on exploring the spatial flow structure around an inclined cable. The pattern of resultant aerodynamic forces acting at different longitudinal locations of the model and the spatial correlation of the forces are examined. The results lead one step closer in revealing the physical nature of the phenomenon.

• Wind and Structures
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• v.6 no.3
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• pp.197-208
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• 2003

Galloping instability of dry inclined cables of cable-stayed bridges has been reported by Japanese researchers. A suggested stability criterion based on some experimental studies in Japan implies that many of stay cables would be expected to suffer galloping instability, which, if valid, would cause serious difficulty in the design of cable-stayed bridges. However, this is not the case in reality. Thus, it is practically urgent and necessary to confirm the validity of this criterion and possible restriction of it. In the present study, a 2D sectional cable model was tested in the wind tunnel, and effects of various physical parameters were investigated. It is found that the stability criterion suggested by Japanese researchers is more conservative than the results obtained from the current study.

• Wind and Structures
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• v.10 no.3
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• pp.215-232
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• 2007

This paper presents an aeroelastic analysis procedure to highlight the influence of wind velocity on the structural damping and frequency of a long span cable-stayed bridge. Frequency dependent self-excited forces in terms of flutter derivatives are expressed as continuous functions using rational function approximation technique. The aeroelastically modified structural equation of motion is expressed in terms of frequency independent modal state-space parameters. The modal logarithmic dampings and frequencies corresponding to a particular wind speed are then determined from the eigen solution of the state matrix.

• Wind and Structures
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• v.23 no.3
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• pp.253-273
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• 2016

Ice accretions on stay cables may result in the instable vibration of galloping, which would affect the safety of cable-stayed bridges. A large number of studies have investigated the galloping vibrations of transmission lines. However, the obtained aerodynamics in transmission lines cannot be directly applied to the stay cables on cable-stayed bridges. In this study, linear and nonlinear single degree-of-freedom models were introduced to obtain the critical galloping wind velocity of iced stay cables where the aerodynamic lift and drag coefficients were identified in the wind tunnel tests. Specifically, six ice shapes were discussed using section models with geometric scale 1:1. The results presented obvious sudden decrease regions of the aerodynamic lift coefficient for all six test models. Numerical analyses of iced stay cables associated to a medium-span cable-stayed bridge were carried out to evaluate the potential galloping instability. The obtained nonlinear critical wind velocity for a 243-meter-long stay cable is much lower than the design wind velocity. The calculated linear critical wind velocity is even lower. In addition, numerical analyses demonstrated that increasing structural damping could effectively mitigate the galloping vibrations of iced stay cables.

• Wind and Structures
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• v.4 no.4
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• pp.315-332
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• 2001

Presented herein is a numerical study for evaluating the aerodynamic behaviour of equipped bridge deck sections. In the first part, the method adopted is described, in particular concerning turbulence models, meshing requirements and numerical approach. The validation of the procedure represents the aim of the second part of the paper: the results of the numerical simulation in case of two-dimensional, steady, incompressible, turbulent flow around a realistic bridge deck are compared to the data collected from wind-tunnel tests. In order to demonstrate the influence of the section details and of the partial streamlining of the deck geometry on its aerodynamic behaviour, in the third part of the paper the effect of the fairings and of each item of equipment of the section (such as central barriers, side railings and sidewalks) is evaluated. The study has been applied to the deck section of the Normandy cable-stayed bridge.