<p>Large-scale full-bridge aeroelastic model testing in natural wind has recently emerged as a novel approach in bridge wind engineering, which overcomes the inherent size limitations of traditional wind tunnel testing. To verify the feasibility of this method for bridge flutter research, this study constructed a low-turbulence, large-scale natural wind field test platform. Based on this platform, a full-bridge aeroelastic model of the Old Tacoma Narrows Bridge (OTNB), with a scale ratio of 1:8.53 corresponding to a 100 m main span, was fabricated. Compared with full-bridge aeroelastic models of long-span bridges tested in traditional wind tunnels, this model features a significantly larger scale ratio. This larger scale ratio enables more accurate simulation of the actual bridge structure and local details, resulting more reliable large-amplitude flutter responses. This study presents in detail the design, construction, and static-dynamic test results of the aeroelastic model. The results show that the aeroelastic model has a sufficient static safety margin, and its dynamic characteristics (natural frequencies, damping ratios, and mode shapes) are in good agreement with the design targets. Notably, the damping ratios of the model are generally below 1% at small amplitudes, while it exhibits pronounced nonlinear behavior at large amplitudes. The study also successfully recorded the complete wind speed and girder torsional displacement time histories of the aeroelastic model during flutter. This is he first time that complete response data of large-amplitude flutter in natural wind has been obtained using this method. These data provide essential support for an in-depth understanding of the flutter mechanism of long-span bridges and confirm the feasibility and effectiveness of this new method.</p>

错误:搜索内容不能为空,请输入英文关键词
错误:关键词超出字数限制,请精简
高级检索

Large-Scale Outdoor Aeroelastic Model of the Old Tacoma Narrows Bridge: Design, Construction, and Static-Dynamic Testing

  • Q. Li,
  • M. Zhang,
  • F. Xu,
  • M. Wang

摘要

Large-scale full-bridge aeroelastic model testing in natural wind has recently emerged as a novel approach in bridge wind engineering, which overcomes the inherent size limitations of traditional wind tunnel testing. To verify the feasibility of this method for bridge flutter research, this study constructed a low-turbulence, large-scale natural wind field test platform. Based on this platform, a full-bridge aeroelastic model of the Old Tacoma Narrows Bridge (OTNB), with a scale ratio of 1:8.53 corresponding to a 100 m main span, was fabricated. Compared with full-bridge aeroelastic models of long-span bridges tested in traditional wind tunnels, this model features a significantly larger scale ratio. This larger scale ratio enables more accurate simulation of the actual bridge structure and local details, resulting more reliable large-amplitude flutter responses. This study presents in detail the design, construction, and static-dynamic test results of the aeroelastic model. The results show that the aeroelastic model has a sufficient static safety margin, and its dynamic characteristics (natural frequencies, damping ratios, and mode shapes) are in good agreement with the design targets. Notably, the damping ratios of the model are generally below 1% at small amplitudes, while it exhibits pronounced nonlinear behavior at large amplitudes. The study also successfully recorded the complete wind speed and girder torsional displacement time histories of the aeroelastic model during flutter. This is he first time that complete response data of large-amplitude flutter in natural wind has been obtained using this method. These data provide essential support for an in-depth understanding of the flutter mechanism of long-span bridges and confirm the feasibility and effectiveness of this new method.