Eccentric- wing flutter stabilizer for long-span bridges

An aerodynamic device for preventing bridge flutter is presented. It consists of wings positioned along the sides of, and fixed relative to, the bridge deck. Flutter suppression efficiency is high provided the lateral eccentricity of the wings is large. It is a passive device without moving parts. This is an advantage over active or passive devices with moving parts, which meet resistance due to reliability concerns. Results of a numerical study are presented in which the critical wind speed for flutter onset of a bridge without wings and with wings mounted in various configurations was determined. Furthermore, first results of wind tunnel tests are reported and a cost estimate is given.