A simplified method for lateral response analysis of suspension bridges under wind loads

A simplified method for analysing lateral response of suspension bridges under wind loads is proposed in this paper. The geometric non-linearity in the deflection theory and the three components of displacement-dependent wind loads are taken into account in the method. The analytical formulas for calculating the torsional, vertical, and lateral responses of suspension bridges under wind loads are derived. An iterative procedure, which has a high convergence rate for solving the problem, is developed. The proposed method is sufficient and simple to use. Wind-induced lateral response analysis of a long-span suspension bridge demonstrates the proposed method's efficiency and accuracy. Copyright (C) 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.