• Wind and Structures
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• v.26 no.4
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• pp.215-229
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• 2018

The appearance of a rivulet at the upper surface of a stay cable is responsible for rain-wind-induced vibration (RWIV) of cables of cable-stayed bridges. However, the formation mechanism of the upper rivulet and its aerodynamic effects on the stay cable has not been fully understood. Large eddy simulation (LES) method is used to investigate flow around and aerodynamics of a circular cylinder with an upper rivulet at a Reynolds number of 140,000. Results show that the mean lift coefficients of the circular cylinder experience three distinct stages, zero-lift stage, positive-lift stage and negative-lift stage as the rivulet located at various positions. Both pressure-induced and friction-induced aerodynamic forces on the upper rivulet are helpful for its appearance on the upside of the stay cable. The friction-induced aerodynamic forces, which have not been considered in the previous theoretical models, may not be neglected in modeling the RWIV. In positive-lift stage, the shear layer separated from the upper rivulet can reattach on the surface of the cylinder and form separation bubbles, which result in a high non-zero mean lift of the cylinder and potentially induces the occurrence of RWIV. The separation bubbles are intrinsically unsteady flow phenomena. A serial of small eddies first appears in the laminar shear layer separated from the upper rivulet, which then coalesces and reattaches on the side surface of the cylinder and eventually sheds into the wake.

• Wind and Structures
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• v.1 no.3
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• pp.225-241
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• 1998

The high-rise supporting towers of long-span suspension and cable-stayed bridges commonly comprise a pair of slender prisms of roughly square cross-section with a center-to-centre spacing of from perhaps 2 to 6 widths and connected by one or more cross-ties. The tower columns may have a constant spacing as common for suspension bridges or the spacing may reduce towards the top of the tower. The present paper is concerned with the aerodynamics of such towers and describes an experimental investigation of the overall aerodynamic forces acting on a pair of square cylinders in two-dimensional flow. Wind tunnel pressure measurements were carried out in smooth flow and with a longitudinal intensity of turbulence 0.10. Different angles of attack were considered between $0^{\circ}$ and $90^{\circ}$, and separations between the two columns from twice to 13 times the side width of the column. The mean values of the overall forces proved to be related to the bias introduced in the flow by the interaction between the two cylinders; the overall rms forces are related to the level of coherence between the shedding-induced forces on the two cylinders and to their phase. Plots showing the variation of the force coefficients and Strouhal number as a function of the separation, together with the force coefficients spectra and lift cross-correlation functions are presented in the paper.

• Wind and Structures
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• v.11 no.3
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• pp.179-192
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• 2008

In a wind tunnel experiment employing a reduced scale model, Reynolds number (Re) can hardly be respected. Its effects on the aerodynamics of closed-box bridge decks have been the subject of research in recent years. Stonecutters Bridge in Hong Kong is a cable-stayed bridge having an unprecedented central span of 1018m. The issue of Re sensitivity was raised early in the design phase of the deck of Stonecutters Bridge. The objective of this study is to summarise the results of various wind tunnel experiments in order to demonstrate the effect of Re on the steady state aerodynamic force coefficients. The results may provide an insight on the choice of scale for section model experiments in bridge design projects. Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) analysis of forces on bridge deck section was also carried out to see how CFD results are compared with experimental results.