Wind-induced response and loads for the Confederation Bridge. Part I: on-site monitoring data

This is the first of two companion papers that analyse ten years of on-site monitoring data for the Confederation Bridge to determine the validity of the original wind speeds and wind loads predicted in 1994 when the bridge was being designed. The check of the original design values is warranted because the design wind speed at the middle of Northumberland Strait was derived from data collected at shore-based weather stations, and the design wind loads were based on tests of section and full-aeroelastic models in the wind tunnel. This first paper uses wind, tilt, and acceleration monitoring data to determine the static and dynamic responses of the bridge, which are then used in the second paper to derive the static and dynamic wind loads. It is shown that the design ten-minute mean wind speed with a 100-year return period is 1.5% less than the 1994 design value, and that the bridge has been subjected to this design event once on November 7, 2001. The dynamic characteristics of the instrumented spans of the bridge including frequencies, mode shapes and damping are in good agreement with published values reported by others. The on-site monitoring data show bridge response to be that of turbulent buffeting which is consistent with the response predicted at the design stage.