Aeroelastic wind forces on flexible bridge girders (Q1590525)

The auhtors model nonstationary aeroelastic wind forces on a streamlined bridge deck for computations of statistically stationary girder oscillations and for mathematical investigation of aeroelastic stability limit. A time-domain method for the direct integration by using a finite element model is applied to structural analysis taking into account geometric and physical nonlinearities. The present finite element model is based on continuous step response functions of Wagner-type, and special emphasis is put on the continuity and existence of equivalent representations in time and frequency domains. The force functions are calibrated in wind tunnel tests on section models in grid turbulence and in boundary-layer flows. The aeroelastic in-phase and out-of-phase forces are identified up to high frequencies. Turbulence effects on aeroelastic coefficients are included in mean terms.