Buffeting response of long-span cable-supported bridges under skew winds. Part 1: Theory

A finite-element-based framework for buffeting analysis of long-span cable-supported bridges under skew winds is developed in the frequency domain utilizing the linear quasi-steady theory and the strip theory of aerodynamics in conjunction with the pseudo excitation method. A set of universal expressions for six components of buffeting forces is first derived in association with oblique cross-sections of bridge components, in which the buffeting forces are formed with respect to the wind coordinate system and then converted to those with respect to the structural coordinate system. Skew mean wind and three orthogonal components of velocity fluctuations can thus be easily handled without any further decomposition. The coherence between velocity fluctuations of wind turbulence at any two arbitrary spatial points is considered in the global wind coordinate system rather than in the global structural coordinate system. Aeroelastic stiffness and damping matrices due to self-excited forces are then taken into consideration in terms of the 18 flutter derivatives with respect to the oblique cross-sections. The pseudo-excitation method is finally employed to solve efficiently the fully coupled 3D buffeting problem of long-span cable-supported bridges under skew winds with the effects of multi-modes and spatial modes, inter-mode coupling and aerodynamic coupling, and the interaction among major bridge components being naturally included. (C) 2004 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.