Effect of wind turbine method for vortex-induced vibration suppression of bridges on girder buffeting

ZHANG Hongfu; WEI Lai; JIN Song; XIN Dabo

doi:10.7688/j.issn.1000-1646.2025.05.15

Abstract：[Objective]With the rapid development of long-span suspension bridges,wind-induced vibration has gradually become a crucial factor affecting their safety and comfort.Small horizontal-axis wind turbines installed on bridges can not only effectively suppress vortex-induced vibration but also provide wind energy for powering ancillary facilities.However,the impact of small horizontal-axis wind turbines on bridges has not been comprehensively and systematically studied,especially their specific influence on bridge buffeting response.Therefore,this study aims to explore the influence of small horizontal-axis wind turbines on bridge buffeting response and assess the effects of different wind turbine layout schemes on bridge dynamic response,so as to provide a theoretical basis and practical guidance for control of wind-induced vibration of bridges by wind turbines.[Methods]This study took the typical flat box girder of the Great Belt Bridge in Denmark as the research object and employed such means as wind tunnel tests,finite element analysis,and harmonic superposition,combined with the actual wind environment and structural characteristics of the Great Belt Bridge,to simulate and analyze the influence of wind turbines on bridge buffeting response.Static three-component force coefficients of the bridge with wind turbines installed were measured in wind tunnel tests,and time-history response data of the bridge subjected to wind loads were generated depending on relevant data.Based on the quasi-steady assumption and Davenport buffeting force model,combined with the finite element model,the dynamic response of the bridge under different wind speeds was calculated and simulated.Six different wind turbine layout schemes were designed during the research process,considering variations in parameters such as the rotation axis height and layout spacing of wind turbines,to investigate the effects of different layout schemes on the lateral and vertical displacement and acceleration responses of the bridge.[Results]The results indicate that the installation of small horizontal-axis wind turbines increases the displacement and acceleration responses of the bridge to a certain extent.However,by selecting appropriate wind turbine layout schemes,it is possible to control vortex-induced vibration with a small effect on the structural safety and comfort of the bridge.The overall increase in lateral displacement of the bridge tends to decrease as the rotation axis height of the wind turbine blades decreases.For vertical response,the smallest increase in vertical displacement occurs when the wind turbine layout spacing is three times the beam height.Furthermore,by fitting the static wind loads caused by wind turbines on the bridge,this study proposed estimation formulas for drag and lift unit loads of bridges with wind turbines installed,which could effectively assess the impact of wind turbines on bridges under different layout schemes.[Conclusion]The impact of small horizontal-axis wind turbines on bridge dynamic response can be reduced through reasonable layout parameters(such as rotation axis height and layout spacing)without significantly affecting the structural safety and comfort of the bridge.The installation height and spacing of wind turbines have significant impacts on the dynamic response of the bridge,and reasonable layout schemes should be selected according to the specific conditions of the bridge to ensure its structural safety and comfort.This study proposed a mathematical model relating to the layout spacing and rotation axis height of wind turbines and wind load data of the bridge,providing theoretical support for optimizing control of wind-induced vibration of bridges by wind turbines in the future.