Practical countermeasures for the aerodynamic performance of long-span cable-stayed bridges with open decks

Open decks are a widely used deck configuration in long-span cable-stayed bridges; however, incorporating aerodynamic countermeasures are advisable to achieve better aerodynamic performance than a bluff body deck alone. A sectional model of an open deck cable-stayed bridge with a main span of 400 m was selected to conduct a series of wind tunnel tests. The influences of five practical aerodynamic countermeasures on flutter and vortex-induced vibration (VIV) performance were investigated and are presented in this paper. The results show that an aerodynamic shape selection procedure can be used to evaluate the flutter stability of decks with respect to different terrain types and structural parameters. In addition, the VIV performance of Pi-shaped girders for driving comfortableness and safety requirements were evaluated. Among these aerodynamic countermeasures, apron boards and wind fairings can improve the aerodynamic performance to some extent, while horizontal guide plates with 5% of the total deck width show a significant influence on the flutter stability and VIV. A wind fairing with an angle of 55 degrees showed the best overall control effect but led to more lock-in regions of VIV. The combination of vertical stabilisers and airflow-depressing boards was found to be superior to other countermeasures and effectively boosted aerodynamic performance; specifically, vertical stabilisers significantly contribute to improving flutter stability and suppressing vertical VIV, while airflow-depressing boards are helpful in reducing torsional VIV.