Galloping of steepled main cables in long-span suspension bridges during construction

Large amplitude oscillation of steepled main cables usually presents during construction of a long-span bridge. To study this phenomenon, six typical main cables with different cross sections during construction are investigated. Two main foci have been conducted. Firstly, aerodynamic coefficients of a main cable are obtained and compared through simulation and wind tunnel test: (1) to ensure the simulation accuracy, influences of the numerical model's grid size, and the jaggy edges of main cable's cross section on main cable's aerodynamic coefficients are investigated; (2) aerodynamic coefficients of main cables at different wind attack angles are obtained based on the wind tunnel test in which the experimental model is made by rigid plastic using the 3D Printing Technology; (3) then numerical results are compared with wind tunnel test results, and they are in good agreement. Secondly, aerodynamic coefficients of the six main cables at different wind attack angles are obtained through numerical simulation. Then Den Hartog criterion is used to analyze the transverse galloping of main cables during construction. Results show all the six main cables may undergo galloping, which may be an important reason for the large amplitude oscillation of steepled main cables during construction. The flow structures around the main cables indicate that the characteristic of the airflow trajectory over a steepled main cable may play an important role in the galloping generation. Engineers should take some effective measures to control this harmful phenomenon due to the big possibility of the onset of galloping during the construction period.