Wind tunnel testing of bridge decks

Bartosz Siedziako

Ole Øiseth
Anders Rønnquist

Department of Structural Engineering

Faculty of Engineering Science and Technology
Norwegian University of Science and Technology

1 bartosz.siedziako@ntnu.no
 Wind tunnel measurements?

• To predict wind-induced forces due to:

– Motion of the bridge deck
– Wind turbulence
– Vortex shedding
– Static wind pressure

2
 Section models - how it’s done

• Static load coefficients

• Rational coefficients
• Indicial functions
• Aerodynamic admittance
functions
• Aerodynamic derivatives

3 3
 Aerodynamic derivatives

• Define motion-dependent (self-excited ) forces

• Aerodynamic derivatives are used to define aeroelastic

damping and stiffness matrices
 P*1 P*5 BP*2   P*4 P *6 BP*3 
1   1  
Cae  VKB  H *5 H *1 BH *2  K ae  V 2 K 2  H *6 H *4 BH *3 
2  BA*5 2 *  2  BA*6
 BA*1 B A 2  BA*4 B 2 A*3 

• They change the structural properties of the combined

structure - flow system

Mv  (C  Cae ) v  ( K  Kae ) v  F

4 4
 Standard tests to obtain
aerodynamic derivatives

Harmonic horizontal motion

Harmonic vertical motion

Harmonic torsional motion

5
 Motivation

6
 Floating bridge motion

7
 Are we able to predict the self-excited forces under realistic bridge motions ?

Aerodynamic
derivatives ?

8
 New experimental setup - main working principle

• It is possible to replicate in the wind tunnel real motion of the bridges

• Actuators internally connected to execute the same motion
• Accuracy: 0,036mm and 0,0010
9
 Motion control

• Custom made software

10
 Testing

11
 Building experimental setup - Final design

Section
model

Actuator

Supporting
frame

12
 Set up in the wind tunnel

13
 Wind tunnel at Norwegian University of Science and Technology

14
 Inside the wind tunnel

15
 Inside the wind tunnel

16
 Building experimental setup – load cell connection

17
 Production of the section model

18
 Are we able to predict the self-excited forces
under realistic bridge motions ?

19
 Aerodynamic derivatives of the Hardanger Bridge section model

20
 Real bridge
motion V=50m/s

21
 Lift
Real bridge Drag
motion V=50m/s
Pitch

22
 Flutter conditions (mid-span motion)

23
 Flutter Motion

24
 Amplitude spectra of measured self-excited forces

25
 Aerodynamic derivatives vs Rational Functions

- Single data points at specified reduced - Fitted curve that is a function of

velocity: V*=V/B/ω reduced velocity f = f(V*)

Several
velocities, One wind tunnel test
several
frequencies
(28 tests)

- 1 DoF harmonic motion - 3 DoF random motion

26
 Twin deck geometry

27
 Wind tunnel testing of bridge decks

Video Time

Department of Structural Engineering

Faculty of Engineering Science and Technology
Norwegian University of Science and Technology

28 bartosz.siedziako@ntnu.no