Wind tunnel investigations of the power for the Stretto di Messina Bridge

Abstract

The proposed bridge over the Stretto di Messina has domensions out of proportion with any other civil engineering structure. The 3300 m span will be supported by 376 m high towers. The H-shape steel towers (64 m taller than the Eiffel Tower) have been the object of wind tunnel investigations to determine their aerodynamic behaviour. Vortex-shedding induced oscillations, aerodynamic stability limits and buffeting response to simulated atmospheric boundary layer wind were investigated using various section models at a geometric scale of 1:140 and a full aeroelastic model of the free standing tower at a scale of 1:250. This paper presents the main findings of these studies conducted at two separate laboratories and compares the section model test to the full model tests. Three-dimensional effects are discussed as well as the mitigation of vortex shedding induced oscillations using screens attached to the round edges of the tower cross-section.