Dynamic responses of the end-anchored floating bridge under the combined action of wind and waves

Abstract

Long floating bridges offer a highly advantageous approach for crossing extensive and deep waterbodies. However, the multifaceted marine environment emphasizes the necessity of exploring the dynamic behavior of floating bridges under diverse load conditions. This study experimentally investigates the dynamic response of an end-anchored floating bridge under the combined action of wind and waves. A truncated model was designed with a geometrical scale of 1:100, and a series of trials were conducted, including the wind-only, wave-only, and wind-wave cases. The focus of the study was on the sway, heave and roll responses. Experimental results revealed that the coupling effect of wind and waves could increase the vulnerability of floating bridges. In the wind-wave cases, the dynamic response was categorized into distinct wind-controlled and wave-controlled zones. The mean response was predominantly influenced by wind loads, while the response standard deviation was significantly affected by wave loads. An analysis of the probability density function of motion response showed that the coupling effect in high-velocity wind cases amplified motion response amplitudes and broadened the distribution range. This study significantly advances the comprehension of the coupled behavior of floating bridge motion responses in wind-wave environments, offering valuable insights for the design of floating bridges.