PERFORMANCE EVALUATION OF WIND BARRIERS WITH VARYING POROSITY ON BRIDGE DECK USING COMPUTATIONAL FLUID DYNAMICS
Article Sidebar
Main Article Content
Abstract
This study evaluates the performance of wind barriers in reducing wind speeds across a bridge cross-section using Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) simulations. The investigation compares the aerodynamic effects of wind barriers with porosity levels of 23% and 54%, respectively. The findings indicate that the bare bridge section, without wind barriers, poses the greatest risk because the airflow directly strikes the traffic surface. Installing 23%-porosity wind barriers on both sides provides the most effective wind shielding, creating a low-velocity zone that covers the entire width of the traffic area. When porosity increases to 54%, wind speed over the bridge deck rises in proportion to the open area, significantly reducing the shielding efficiency. Furthermore, the analysis of installation positioning shows that placing a barrier on the windward side alone can achieve wind speed reductions comparable to those of a double-sided installation. Conversely, installing a barrier solely on the leeward side fails to decelerate the airflow over the traffic surface. In conclusion, wind barriers with 23% porosity reduced wind speed by 65–92% at a height of 2.53 m above the road surface. Therefore, considering the prevailing wind direction is a critical factor in designing efficient wind protection systems for bridge structures.
Article Details
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.
The published articles are copyright of the Engineering Journal of Research and Development, The Engineering Institute of Thailand Under H.M. The King's Patronage (EIT).
References
Liu, S., Zhao, L., Fang, G., Hu, C. and Ge, Y. Investigation on aerodynamic force nonlinear evolution for a central-slotted box girder under torsional vortex-induced vibration. Journal of Fluids and Structures, 2021, 106, p. 103380.
Xia, D., Dai, L., Lin, L., Wang, H. and Hu, H. A field measurement based wind characteristics analysis of a typhoon in near-ground boundary layer. Atmosphere, 2021, 12 (7), p. 873.
Kozmar, H., Procino, L., Borsani, A. and Bartoli, G. Sheltering efficiency of wind barriers on bridges. Journal of Wind Engineering and Industrial Aerodynamics, 2012, 107, pp. 274-284.
Baker, C., Cheli, F., Orellano, A., Paradot, N., Proppe, C. and Rocchi, D. Cross-wind effects on road and rail vehicles. Vehicle System Dynamics, 2009, 47 (8), pp. 983-1022.
Coleman, S. A. and Baker, C. J. The reduction of accident risk for high sided road vehicles in cross winds. Journal of Wind Engineering and Industrial Aerodynamics, 1992, 44 (1-3), pp. 2685-2695.
Han, Y., Cai, C. S., Zhang, J., Chen, S. and He, X. Effects of aerodynamic parameters on the dynamic responses of road vehicles and bridges under cross winds. Journal of Wind Engineering and Industrial Aerodynamics, 2014, 134, pp. 78-95.
Chen, N., Li, Y., Wang, B., Su, Y. and Xiang, H. Effects of wind barrier on the safety of vehicles driven on bridges. Journal of Wind Engineering and Industrial Aerodynamics, 2015, 143, pp. 113-127.
Kim, S. J., Shim, J. H. and Kim, H. K. How wind affects vehicles crossing a double-deck suspension bridge. Journal of Wind Engineering and Industrial Aerodynamics, 2020, 206, p. 104329.
Xue, F., Han, Y., Zou, Y., He, X. and Chen, S. Effects of wind-barrier parameters on dynamic responses of wind-road vehicle–bridge system. Journal of Wind Engineering and Industrial Aerodynamics, 2020, 206, p. 104367.
Buljac, A., Kozmar, H., Pospíšil, S., Macháček, M. and Kuznetsov, S. Effects of wind-barrier layout and wind turbulence on aerodynamic stability of cable-supported bridges. Journal of Bridge Engineering, 2020, 25 (12), p. 04020102.
Schmitt, F. G. About Boussinesq's turbulent viscosity hypothesis: historical remarks and a direct evaluation of its validity. Comptes Rendus Mécanique, 2007, 335 (9-10), pp. 617-627.
Wilcox, D. C. Reassessment of the scale-determining equation for advanced turbulence models. AIAA Journal, 1988, 26 (11), pp. 1299-1310.
Menter, F. R. Two-equation eddy-viscosity turbulence models for engineering applications. AIAA Journal, 1994, 32 (8), pp. 1598-1605.
Cermak, J. E. Wind tunnel studies of buildings and structures. Reston, VA: American Society of Civil Engineers, 1999.
Zhang, M., Zhang, J., Long, J., Li, Y., Zou, Y. and Yin, D. CFD numerical simulation of wind field and vehicle aerodynamic characteristics on truss bridge deck under crosswind. KSCE Journal of Civil Engineering, 2022, 26 (12), pp. 5146-5159.
Lee, S. H., Kim, H., Moon, H., Kim, H. S., Han, S. S. and Jeong, S. Effects of wind barrier porosity and inclination on wind speed reduction. Applied Sciences, 2023, 13 (14), p. 8310.
