Wind-induced vibration and its suppression of photovoltaic modules supported by suspension cables

Abstract

Photovoltaic (PV) modules are mainly mounted on the ground and on roofs. Recently, cable-supported PV modules have been proposed to replace traditional beams using suspension cables to bear the loads of the PV modules. These modules have a long span, are lightweight, can bear strong loads, can be adapted to complex terrains, and provide an excellent supplement to traditional structures in special sites such as sewage treatment plants, highways, farms, fishponds, and roofs with poor load-bearing conditions. However, because the cable-supported PV modules also possess high flexibility and low damping, they are prone to large vibrations under wind excitation. In the present study, a series of wind tunnel tests were conducted to simulate the wind-induced vibration (WIV) of a type of cable-supported PV modules. Strong vibrations were observed when the wind speed was above a critical value. The response characteristics were investigated in detail, and a suppression measure was proposed according to the response characteristics. Finally, the proposed measure successfully suppressed the WIV of the cable-supported PV modules.