Scruton Lecture 2013 - Changing Dynamic of Bridge Aerodynamics

Synopsis

Assurance of the safety and reliability of long-span bridges under winds requires accurate modelling of wind-induced effects such as buffeting, flutter, vortex-induced vibration, and rain-wind induced vibration. The increasing need to bridge river basins, straits and even parts of oceans worldwide has led to progressively increasing spans and utilization of innovative deck sections.

This has led to significant changes in the aerodynamic characteristics of bridges with attendant consequences in the performance of bridges under winds. Notable observations of unsteady and non-linear bridge behaviour in wind-tunnel experiments and full-scale measurements uniformly point at the changing dynamic of bridge aerodynamics. This has prompted the need for improved understanding and development of new analysis frameworks that are attentive to both unsteady and non-linear interactions experienced by bridge decks as wind blows around them.

Early developments in bridge aerodynamics, including Kit Scruton’s contributions to aerodynamic tailoring of bridge decks and the current state-of-the-art, will be revisited. This will be followed by an overview of the current advanced analysis schemes and beyond used to better capture unsteady and non-linear effects important for the next generation of bridges.

Speaker

Dr Ahsan Kareem, Robert M Moran Professor of Engineering and Geological Sciences and the Director of the NatHaz Modeling Laboratory, University of Notre Dame.

Further information

This lecture is organised by the ICE. The lecture will be chaired by Dr John Kilpatrick (Chairman, UK Wind Engineering Society). For further information and registration, please visit the ICE's website.