Driving safety analysis of various types of vehicles on long-span bridges in crosswinds considering aerodynamic interference

Strong winds threaten the safety of vehicles on long-span bridges considerably, which could force traffic authorities to reduce speed limits or even close these bridges to traffic. In order to maintain the safe and economic operation of a bridge, a reasonable evaluation of the driving safety on that bridge is needed. This paper aims at carrying outdriving safety analyses for three types of vehicles on a long-span bridge in crosswinds by considering the aerodynamic interference between the bridge and the vehicles based on the wind-vehicle-bridge coupling vibration analysis. Firstly, CFD numerical simulations along with previously obtained wind tunnel testing results were used to determine the aerodynamic force coefficients of the three types of vehicles on the bridge. Secondly, the dynamic responses of the bridge and the vehicles under crosswinds were simulated, and based on those, the driving safety analyses for the three types of vehicles on the bridge were carried out for both cases considering and not considering the aerodynamic interference between the vehicles and the bridge. Finally, the effect of the aerodynamic interference on the safety of the vehicles was investigated. The results show that the aerodynamic interference between the bridge and the vehicles not only affects the accident critical wind speed but also the accident type for all three types of vehicles. Such effects are also different for each of the three types of vehicles being studied.