Numerical simulations and experimental validations of force coefficients and flutter derivatives of a bridge deck

This paper presents the results of the application of the large eddy simulation (LES) numerical method with the aim of investigating static coefficients and nonstationary flutter derivatives for a common symmetric bridge deck section. The results are compared with those of the unsteady Reynolds-averaged Navier-Stokes (URANS) study. The results of the investigated numerical simulations are validated by force and pressure measurements from wind tunnel experiments. In addition to the commonly used representation of flutter derivatives based on the integrated forces, the paper uses cross-sectional representation by tracking the contributions of nonstationary coefficients around the bridge deck section. Besides providing a better insight into the physical mechanism, the cross-sectional representation seems to be a powerful tool for identifying deficiencies in visualizing the impact of flow separations on flutter derivatives.