Nonlinear Wind Tunnel Tests of Cable-Supported Bridges
Publication: Journal of Structural Engineering
Volume 149, Issue 10
Abstract
Following the collapse of the Tacoma Narrows Bridge due to an aeroelastic instability, it has been common practice to test cable-supported bridges in a wind tunnel to check the soundness of bridge designs with respect to wind dynamic actions. Due to their simplicity, versatility and cost effectiveness, section model tests have become the standard approach for testing bridges. More advanced testing techniques, like full-aeroelastic model tests, are only utilized for validation purposes toward the end of the design process. Nevertheless, some generalizations with regard to the behavior of the bridge are necessary in section model tests in order to reach such simplicity. One of them is that they assume a linear structural behavior of the bridge structure. This might be inaccurate for very long cable-supported bridges as the structural behavior of such bridges is governed by their cable system, which is geometrically nonlinear. Considering that span lengths are getting longer, it is believed that it is needed to develop a better understanding of the influence of geometric nonlinearities on the wind response of bridges. Thus, this paper presents an experimental assessment of the effect of structural nonlinearities on the aeroelastic stability and wind response of cable-supported bridges. At first, the development of a new experimental apparatus for nonlinear section model tests of bridges is discussed. Then, the results of nonlinear section model tests conducted using the experimental apparatus are presented. Three different suspension bridge configurations are tested. The first one is for a single-box girder suspension bridge, and the second and third ones are for two twin-box girder suspension bridges having different span lengths. By comparing the results of linear tests to those of nonlinear tests, it is possible to assess the effect of structural nonlinearities. It is found that structural nonlinearities can have an effect on the critical velocity for flutter.
Get full access to this article
View all available purchase options and get full access to this article.
Data Availability Statement
Some or all data, models, or code generated or used during the study are proprietary or confidential in nature and may only be provided with restrictions.
Acknowledgments
The financial support of the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC, CGSD3-519064-2018), the Fonds de recherche du Québec—Nature et technologies (FRQNT, 208528), the ministère des Transports du Québec, Mitacs (IT24768), the Boundary Layer Wind Tunnel Laboratory (BLWTL) at the University of Western Ontario, and the Faculty of Engineering at the University of Western Ontario, COWI North America Ltd. as well as the Mensa Canada Scholarship Programme was greatly appreciated for the realization of this research. The computational resources for this research project were provided in part by Compute Ontario (www.computeontario.ca) and Compute Canada (www.computecanada.ca). The authors would like to acknowledge the excellent work of the University Machine Services at the University of Western Ontario for the fabrication of the experimental apparatus utilized for this research project. The authors are thankful to Mr. Peter Case, Dr. Lingzhe Kong, Mr. Anthony Burggraaf, and Mr. Andrew Klazinga for their assistance during the wind tunnel tests conducted at the BLWTL. For providing one of the bridge models utilized for this research project, the authors would like to thank Prof. Sébastien Langlois of the Université de Sherbrooke. The authors would also like to thank Dr. Allan Larsen from COWI Denmark, Mr. Daniel Green, and Mr. David MacKenzie from COWI UK Limited as well as the engineers at E.D.In., especially Mr. Andrea Del Vecchio, for their assistance in the development of some of the finite element models utilized for this research project.
References
Arioli, G., and F. Gazzola. 2017. “Torsional instability in suspension bridges: The Tacoma Narrows Bridge case.” Commun. Nonlinear Sci. Numer. Simul. 42 (Jun): 342–357. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cnsns.2016.05.028.
Bartoli, G., S. Contri, C. Mannini, and M. Righi. 2009. “Toward an improvement in the identification of bridge deck flutter derivatives.” J. Eng. Mech. 135 (8): 771–785. https://doi.org/10.1061/(ASCE)0733-9399(2009)135:8(771).
Capsoni, A., R. Ardito, and A. Guerrieri. 2017. “Stability of dynamic response of suspension bridges.” J. Sound Vib. 393 (Jan): 285–307. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jsv.2017.01.009.
Computer and Structures Inc. 2023. SAP2000 integrated software for structural analysis and design. Berkeley, CA: Computer and Structures Inc.
Diana, G., F. Resta, A. Zasso, M. Belloli, and D. Rocchi. 2004. “Forced motion and free motion aeroelastic tests on a new concept dynamometric section model of the Messina suspension bridge.” J. Wind Eng. Ind. Aerodyn. 92 (6): 441–462. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jweia.2004.01.005.
Gimsing, N. J., and C. T. Georgakis. 2012. Cable supported bridges: Concept and design. 3rd ed. New York: Wiley.
Král, R., S. Pospí šil, and J. Náprstek. 2014. “Wind tunnel experiments on unstable self-excited vibration of sectional girders.” J. Fluids Struct. 44 (Jun): 235–250. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jfluidstructs.2013.11.002.
Maheux, S. 2022. “Effect of structural nonlinearities on flutter of cable-supported bridges.” Ph.D. thesis, Dept. of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Univ. of Western Ontario.
Maheux, S., J. P. C. King, A. El Damatty, and F. Brancaleoni. 2020. “Assessment of nonlinear structural vertical-torsional coupling in cable-supported bridges.” Eng. Struct. 219 (Sep): 110800. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.engstruct.2020.110800.
Maheux, S., J. P. C. King, A. El Damatty, and F. Brancaleoni. 2022a. “Assessment of nonlinear structural coupling in cable-supported bridges for non-analogous modes.” In In Proc., IABSE Congress Nanjing 2022. Zurich, Switzerland: IABSE.
Maheux, S., J. P. C. King, A. El Damatty, and F. Brancaleoni. 2022b. “Comparison of wind tunnel results for the development of a new section model test rig for bridges.” In Proc., Canadian Society of Civil Engineering Annual Conf. 2022. Berlin: Springer.
Maheux, S., J. P. C. King, A. El Damatty, and F. Brancaleoni. 2022c. “Theory for nonlinear section model tests in the wind tunnel for cable-supported bridges.” Eng. Struct. 266 (Feb): 114623. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.engstruct.2022.114623.
Marsden, C. C., and S. J. Price. 2005. “The aeroelastic response of a wing section with a structural freeplay nonlinearity: An experimental investigation.” J. Fluids Struct. 21 (3): 257–276. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jfluidstructs.2005.05.015.
O’Neil, T., and T. W. Strganac. 1998. “Aeroelastic response of a rigid wing supported by nonlinear springs.” J. Aircr. 35 (4): 616–622. https://doi.org/10.2514/2.2345.
Prud’homme, S., F. Legeron, and A. Laneville. 2015. “Transient flutter analysis of bluff bodies.” J. Wind Eng. Ind. Aerodyn. 145 (Apr): 139–151. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jweia.2015.06.013.
Schwartz, M., S. Manzoor, P. Hémon, and E. de Langre. 2009. “By-pass transition to airfoil flutter by transient growth due to gust impulse.” J. Fluids Struct. 25 (8): 1272–1281. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jfluidstructs.2009.08.001.
Siedziako, B., O. Øiseth, and A. Rønnquist. 2017. “An enhanced forced vibration rig for wind tunnel testing of bridge seck section models in arbitrary motion.” J. Wind Eng. Ind. Aerodyn. 164 (May): 152–163. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jweia.2017.02.011.
Skyvulstad, H., T. Argentini, A. Zasso, and O. Øiseth. 2021. “Nonlinear modelling of aerodynamic self-excited forces: An experimental study.” J. Wind Eng. Ind. Aerodyn. 209 (Aug): 104491. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jweia.2020.104491.
Starossek, R. T. 2020. “Aerodynamic behavior of simple suspension footbridges.” Master’s thesis, Dept. of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Seoul National Univ.
Starossek, R. T., S. Kim, and H.-K. Kim. 2019. “Section-model wind tunnel test for flexible suspended pedestrian bridges.” In In Proc., IABSE Congress New York City 2019. Zurich, Switzerland: IABSE.
Wu, B., X. Chen, Q. Wang, H. Liao, and J. Dong. 2020a. “Characterization of vibration amplitude of nonlinear bridge flutter from section model test to full bridge estimation.” J. Wind Eng. Ind. Aerodyn. 197 (Feb): 104048. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jweia.2019.104048.
Wu, B., Q. Wang, H. Liao, and H. Mei. 2020b. “Hysteresis response of nonlinear flutter of a truss girder: Experimental investigations and theoretical predictions.” Comput. Struct. 238 (Aug): 106267. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.compstruc.2020.106267.
Wu, T., S. Li, and M. Sivaselvan. 2019. “Real-time aerodynamics hybrid simulation: A novel wind-tunnel model for flexible bridges.” J. Eng. Mech. 145 (9): 04019061. https://doi.org/10.1061/(ASCE)EM.1943-7889.0001649.
Xu, F., J. Yang, Z. Zhang, and M. Zhang. 2021. “Investigations on large-amplitude vibrations of rigid models using a novel testing device.” J. Bridge Eng. 26 (5): 06021002. https://doi.org/10.1061/(ASCE)BE.1943-5592.0001712.
Yang, Z. C., and L. C. Zhao. 1988. “Analysis of limit cycle flutter of an airfoil in incompressible flow.” J. Sound Vib. 123 (1): 1–13. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0022-460X(88)80073-7.
Zhou, R., Y. Ge, Y. Yang, S. Liu, Y. Du, and L. Zhang. 2019. “A nonlinear numerical scheme to simulate multiple wind effects on twin-box girder suspension bridges.” Eng. Struct. 183 (Mar): 1072–1090. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.engstruct.2018.11.040.
Zhou, S., X. G. Hua, Z. Q. Chen, and W. Chen. 2017. “Experimental investigation of correction factor for VIV amplitude of flexible bridges from an aeroelastic model and its 1:1 section model.” Eng. Struct. 141 (Jun): 263–271. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.engstruct.2017.03.023.
Zhu, L.-D., G.-Z. Gao, and Q. Zhu. 2020. “Recent advances, future application and challenges in nonlinear flutter theory of long span bridges.” J. Wind Eng. Ind. Aerodyn. 206 (Nov): 104307. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jweia.2020.104307.
Information & Authors
Information
Published In
Journal of Structural Engineering
Volume 149 • Issue 10 • October 2023
Copyright
© 2023 American Society of Civil Engineers.
History
Received: Oct 9, 2022
Accepted: May 18, 2023
Published online: Aug 3, 2023
Published in print: Oct 1, 2023
Discussion open until: Jan 3, 2024
Authors
Metrics & Citations
Metrics
Citations
Download citation
If you have the appropriate software installed, you can download article citation data to the citation manager of your choice. Simply select your manager software from the list below and click Download.