Buffeting response of long-span cable-supported bridges under skew winds. Part 2: case study

The finite-element-based framework for buffeting analysis of long-span cable-supported bridges under skew winds has been presented in Part 1 of this paper. The framework is now applied to the Tsing Ma Suspension Bridge in Hong Kong as a case study. The wind velocities and bridge responses measured by the Wind and Structural Health Monitoring System (WASHMS) of the bridge during Typhoon Sam in 1999 are first analyzed to find the skew wind characteristics surrounding the bridge, the modal damping ratios and acceleration responses of the bridge. The buffeting responses of the bridge under skew winds during Typhoon Sam are then computed using the wind characteristics and modal damping ratios measured from the field and the aerodynamic coefficients and flutter derivatives of the bridge deck and tower measured from the wind tunnel under skew winds. The computed acceleration responses of the bridge deck and cable are finally compared with the responses measured from the field. The comparison is found to be satisfactory in general and the case study forms a good practical demonstration for the verification of the proposed method for buffeting analysis of long-span cable-supported bridges under skew winds.