Experimental research on the aerodynamic responses of a long-span pipeline suspension bridge

Abstract

The aerodynamic stability performance of a long-span pipeline suspension bridge is studied based on a 1: 25 full-bridge aeroelastic model using wind tunnel tests. The influences of initial angle of attack, pipeline diameter, pipeline number, and turbulence intensity on the aerostatic and buffeting displacements of the girder, and on the wind cable tensile forces are comprehensively investigated. The aerodynamic displacements of the girder along the span were measured by using a video gauge. Analytical expressions are derived to construct the displacements of three-degree-of-freedom motions from the recorded signals, and the differences between the derived formulas and the conventional ones are demonstrated. Recommendations are offered to reduce or even eliminate the potential errors of the convenient habitual formulas. The testing results show that the aerodynamic displacements and wind cable tensile forces of the bridge may depend remarkably on the initial angle of attack, pipeline diameter, pipeline number, and turbulence intensity. Research results of the present work can provide beneficial references for evaluating the wind-resistant performances of bridges of the similar type.