A simulation study on the optimal control of buffeting displacement for the Sutong Bridge with multiple tuned mass dampers

Abstract

The buffeting of long-span cable-supported bridges under strong winds is one of the key issues in bridge wind engineering. In order to study the effectiveness of the multiple tuned mass dampers (MTMDs) in buffeting control of long-span bridges, the Sutong Cable-stayed Bridge (SCB) with a main span of 1088 m in China is taken as an example in this paper. The spatial finite element model of the SCB is established and the modal analysis is conducted based on ANSYS. After the 3D turbulence wind field of the SCB is simulated using the measured wind parameters, the time-domain buffeting analysis on the SCB is conducted with the aerodynamic self-excited forces included. According to the dynamic characteristics and the time-domain buffeting analysis results of the SCB, the parameter sensitivity analysis on buffeting vibration control with MTMD is conducted in ANSYS. The optimum parameters are then obtained with the construction difficulty and economic factors considered. Results show that the control efficiency is sensitive to the number of the TMD, mass ratio, frequency band-width ratio, and damping ratio. Both the vertical and the lateral vibrations can be effectively controlled when proper design parameters of a MTMD system are used. In addition, the control effect on lateral vibration is better than that on vertical vibration. Results obtained in this study can provide references for anti-wind design and buffeting control of long-span cable-stayed bridges.

Aerodynamic admittance influence on buffeting performance of suspension bridge with streamlined deck

“…Where , and represent fitting parameters. The condition with 0° wind attack angle was the most widely used condition in many research [1][2][3][4][8][9][10][11][12]. Therefore, conditions with 0° wind attack angle were chosen to fit the aerodynamic admittance expression in three directions.…”

“…Researchers have been working in external factors influence on buffeting performance, including topography [1], extreme value of typhoon [2], turbulence characteristics [3], turbulent spatial correlation coefficient [4], skew wind [5][6][7], design and measured power spectrum [8], non-stationary and stochastic excitation [2,[9][10][11]. There are also a multitude of researchers working in internal factors simultaneously, including multiple tuned mass dampers [12][13][14][15], mechanically driven flaps [16][17][18], mid-tower [19], catwalk [20], central buckle [21], and slotted deck [22]. Study method makes varied with a tendency more proper to reality, with improved analysis theories in buffeting performance, such as linear regression [6], non-linear regression analysis [21], evolutionary power spectral density [19,23], varying frequency-increment sweeping method [10], and three-dimensional simulation [24,25].…”

Buffeting performance of long-span suspension bridge based on measured wind data in a mountainous region

“…The buffeting suppression method includes active and passive buffeting control [6][7][8]. Optimal buffeting control of multiple tuned mass dampers [9][10][11][12] and mechanically driven flaps [13][14][15] has been a hot area of research for recent years.…”

Parametric Sensitivity Analysis on the Buffeting Control of a Long-Span Triple-Tower Suspension Bridge with MTMD

“…The buffeting forces, which include lift force, drag force, and pitching moment, acting on the bridge deck per unit length are given as Equations (2)- (4).…”

“…However, in the wind-prone areas above, there are a great number of long-span bridges constructed or still under construction over rivers or even seas, which is catering to the developments of local transportation and economics [4]. With the rapid increase of the bridge span, the bridge will be a typical slender structure which is sensitive to the wind effects [5].…”