Now showing 1 - 3 of 3
  • Publication
    Assessing the Capability of Computational Fluid Dynamics Models in Replicating Wind Tunnel Test Results for the Rose Fitzgerald Kennedy Bridge
    Despite its wide acceptance in various industries, CFD is considered a secondary option to wind tunnel tests in bridge engineering due to a lack of confidence. To increase confidence and to advance the quality of simulations in bridge aerodynamic studies, this study performed three-dimensional RANS simulations and DESs to assess the bridge deck aerodynamics of the Rose Fitzgerald Kennedy Bridge and demonstrated detailed procedures of the verification and validation of the applied CFD model. The CFD simulations were developed in OpenFOAM, the results of which are compared to prior wind tunnel test results, where general agreements were achieved though differences were also found and analyzed. The CFD model was also applied to study the effect of fascia beams and handrails on the bridge deck aerodynamics, which were neglected in most research to-date. These secondary structures were found to increase drag coefficients and reduce lift and moment coefficients by up to 32%, 94.3%, and 52.2%, respectively, which emphasized the necessity of including these structures in evaluations of the aerodynamic performance of bridges in service. Details of the verification and validation in this study illustrate that CFD simulations can determine close results compared to wind tunnel tests.
    Scopus© Citations 5  135
  • Publication
    A numerical study on the sheltering effects of the central wind barriers on the Rose Fitzgerald Kennedy Bridge
    This study aims to examine the sheltering effects of central wind barriers installed near the pylons of the Rose Fitzgerald Kennedy Bridge. A full-scale Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) model is developed, which includes high-precision geometries of the bridge and the terrain. Simulations using this model are performed at realistic wind conditions as boundary conditions are mapped from mesoscale Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) simulations. Wind velocities at multiple locations on the bridge predicted by the CFD simulations are compared with field measurement data where a good agreement is reached. The validated model is then applied with bridge geometries with and without the central wind barriers at high wind conditions. Comparisons between these two groups of simulations show that the wind barriers can effectively reduce wind velocities on traffic lanes near the pylon, which validates the current design of the barriers on the bridge.
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  • Publication
    Quantifying the impact of bridge geometry and surrounding terrain: wind effects on bridges
    The safety and serviceability of long-span bridges can be significantly impacted by wind effects and therefore it is crucial to accurately estimate them during bridge design. This study develops full-scale 3-Dimensional CFD (computational fluid dynamics) simulation models to replicate wind conditions at the Rose Fitzgerald Kennedy Bridge in Ireland. The neglection of bridge geometries and the use of small scales in previous studies are significant limitations, and both the bridge geometry and surrounding terrain are included here at full-scale. Input values for wind conditions are mapped from weather simulations that apply the Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) model. Wind velocities at four different points calculated by CFD simulations are compared with corresponding data collected from SHM field measurements. The calculated time-averaged wind velocities at four different locations on the bridge are shown to have relative differences of less than 10% to the measured wind velocities by anemometers 90% of the time. The maximum relative difference among all comparisons was only 15%, shown to be partially due to the inclusion of the full bridge and terrain geometry.
    Scopus© Citations 1  2