Drag Coefficients for Construction-Stage Stability Analysis of Bridge Girders under Wind Loading
Publication: Journal of Bridge Engineering
Volume 22, Issue 1
Abstract
Lateral wind loads often control the stability of bridge girders during construction stages in which the deck is not yet structurally effective. In this study, the key objectives were to experimentally quantify aerodynamic wind-load coefficients (drag, lift, and torque) for common bridge girder shapes and to quantify shielding effects arising from aerodynamic interference between adjacent girders. Wind tunnel tests were performed on reduced-scale models of built-up steel plate girders and prestressed concrete Florida I-beams (FIBs). Aerodynamic properties were measured for individual girder cross-sectional shapes and for systems of multiple adjacent girders (tested both with and without bridge deck formwork in place). Results from the wind tunnel tests, which revealed negative drag coefficients at selected downstream girder positions, were synthesized into simplified wind-loading cases suitable for use in bridge design. Wind-load cases were separately developed for assessing overall multigirder system stability and for determining the required strength of girder bracing between individual girders.
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Acknowledgments
The authors thank the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) for providing the financial support, under Contracts BDK 75 TWO-977-33 and BDK 75-977-70, that made this study possible. The authors also thank Dr. J. Peter C. King and Dr. Lingzhe Kong, of the Boundary Layer Wind Tunnel Laboratory at the University of Western Ontario, for the guidance and expertise they provided that extended beyond contracted wind tunnel testing services.
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Information & Authors
Information
Published In
Journal of Bridge Engineering
Volume 22 • Issue 1 • January 2017
Copyright
© 2016 American Society of Civil Engineers.
History
Received: Oct 9, 2015
Accepted: Jul 15, 2016
Published online: Sep 12, 2016
Published in print: Jan 1, 2017
Discussion open until: Feb 12, 2017
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