WIND TUNNEL TESTS ON PLATE GIRDER BRIDGES

Highways Agency Standard BD 49: Design rules for aerodynamic effects on bridges was first published in 1993 and contains simplified methods for determining the susceptibility of bridge decks to aerodynamic instability. The standard was devised based on information available at that time. However, it contained a number of caveats for some deck configurations and geometry, particularly in relation to plate girder bridges. Following later studies, experience of application and additional wind tunnel data, some of the clauses of BD 49 were revised and the document was re-published in 2001. The background to this update is reported in TRL Report TRL528. This report describes a programme of wind tunnel tests that was carried out on plate girder bridges to provide information for this revision. Over 60 different configurations were tests, using different parapets and leading edge details. The report describes the models, the wind tunnel characteristics and the conclusions from the tests. The wind tunnel data are presented in a form that can be used directly by engineers to assess the susceptibility different bridge forms to aerodynamic instability in cases where the simplified rules in BD 49 indicate the possibility of aerodynamic effects. (A)