3D FLUTTER ANALYSIS OF BRIDGES BY SPLINE FINITE-STRIP METHOD

This paper presents a numerical analysis procedure for the three-dimensional flutter analysis of bridges based on the spline finite-strip method. The finite-strip method has been extended, for the first time, to the area of bridge aerodynamics in wind engineering. In this application, the spline finite-strip method is adopted to model the bridge girder. A significant improvement of this formulation is that the effects of the spatial distribution of the aerodynamic forces on a bridge deck structure can be taken into account by distributing the aerodynamic forces over the cross section of the bridge deck. The flutter problem is solved by the PK-F method (Namini, 1991). Through iteration of the flutter determinant, the critical flutter wind velocity and the preflutter response of the bridge are determined. The frequencies and logarithmic decrement of the response over the range of wind velocity of interest are obtained. Numerical examples of a thin flat plate and a recently completed 423-m span cable-stayed bridge are presented to illustrate the reliability and accuracy of the proposed method. The results show that the present formulation has advantages over the typical equivalent beam finite-element models, particularly in the data preparation and the capability of the method to account for the spatial distribution of the aerodynamic forces across the cross section of the bridge deck. The potential of its future application is also discussed.

• Availability:
  • Find a library where document is available. Order URL: http://worldcat.org/issn/07339445
• Corporate Authors:

  American Society of Civil Engineers

  1801 Alexander Bell Drive
  Reston, VA  United States  20191-4400
• Authors:
  • Lau, D T
  • Cheung, M S
  • Cheng, S H
• Publication Date: 2000-10

Language

• English

Media Info

• Features: Appendices; Figures; References; Tables;
• Pagination: p. 1246-54
• Serial:
  • Journal of Structural Engineering
  • Volume: 126
  • Issue Number: 10
  • Publisher: American Society of Civil Engineers
  • ISSN: 0733-9445
  • Serial URL: http://ascelibrary.org/loi/jsendh

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Accuracy; Aerodynamics; Bridge decks; Bridges; Cable stayed bridges; Finite element method; Flutter; Flutter (Aeronautics); Girder bridges; Girders; Iterative methods; Logarithms; Mathematical models; Plates (Engineering); Splines; Wind
• Geographic Terms: Shanghai (China)
• Subject Areas: Bridges and other structures; Design; Highways; I24: Design of Bridges and Retaining Walls;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00800598
• Record Type: Publication
• Contract Numbers: CMS-9520295, CMS-9710204, NSC 86-2621-P-006-028
• Files: TRIS
• Created Date: Oct 11 2000 12:00AM