• Smart Structures and Systems
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• v.18 no.3
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• pp.485-500
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• 2016

Stay cables in some cable-stayed bridges suffer large amplitude vibrations under the simultaneous occurrence of rain and wind. This phenomenon is called rain-wind-induced vibration (RWIV). The upper rivulet oscillating circumferentially on the inclined cable surface plays an important role in this phenomenon. However, its small size and high sensitivity to wind flow make measuring rivulet size and its movement challenging. Moreover, the distribution of the rivulet along the entire cable has not been measured. This paper applies the videogrammetric technique to measure the movement and geometry dimension of the upper rivulet along the entire cable during RWIV. A cable model is tested in an open-jet wind tunnel with artificial rain. RWIV is successfully reproduced. Only one digital video camera is employed and installed on the cable during the experiment. The camera records video clips of the upper rivulet and cable movements. The video clips are then transferred into a series of images, from which the positions of the cable and the upper rivulet at each time instant are identified by image processing. The thickness of the upper rivulet is also estimated. The oscillation amplitude, equilibrium position, and dominant frequency of the rivulet are presented. The relationship between cable and rivulet variations is also investigated. Results demonstrate that this non-contact, non-intrusive measurement method has good resolution and is cost effective.

• 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.6 no.4
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• pp.291-306
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• 2003

Many investigations have been conducted to find out the reason behind wind-rain-induced cable vibration in cable-stayed bridges. A single-degree-of-freedom (SDOF) analytical model, which could capture main features of wind-rain-induced cable vibration, was recently presented by the writers. This paper extends the SDOF model to a 2DOF model by including the equation of motion of upper rivulet. The interaction between the upper rivulet and the cable is described in terms of nonlinear damping force, linear restoring force, and inertia force. The computed results using the 2DOF model are first compared with the results from simulated wind-rain tunnel tests, and the comparison is found satisfactory in general. The possible mechanisms of wind-rain-induced cable vibration are discussed and a parametric study is then conducted. Finally, the computed results using the 2DOF model are compared with those predicted by the SDOF model. The 2DOF model is found better than the SDOF model but the SDOF model is still acceptable for its simplicity.

• Wind and Structures
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• v.6 no.6
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• pp.485-498
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• 2003

This paper presents a mechanical model of Rain-Wind Induced Vibration (RWIV) of stay cables. It is based on the physical interpretation of the phenomenon as given in Cosentino, et al. (2003, referred as Part I). The model takes into account all the main forces acting on cable, on the upper water rivulet (responsible of the excitation) and the cable-rivulet interaction. It is a simplified (cable cross-sectional and deterministic) representation of the actual (stochastic and three-dimensional) phenomenon. The cable is represented by its cross section and it is subjected to mechanical and aerodynamic (considering the rivulet influence) forces. The rivulet is supposed to oscillate along the cable circumference and it is subjected to inertial and gravity forces, pressure gradients and air-water-cable frictions. The model parameters are calibrated by fitting with experimental results. In order to validate the proposed model and its physical basis, different conditions (wind speed and direction, cable frequency, etc.) have been numerically investigated. The results, which are in very good agreement with the RWIV field observations, confirm the validity of the method and its engineering applicability (to evaluate the RWIV sensitivity of new stays or to retrofit the existing ones). Nevertheless, the practical use of the model probably requires a more accurate calibration of some parameters through new and specifically oriented wind tunnel tests.