Aerodynamic characteristics of a high-speed train crossing the wake of a bridge tower from moving model experiments

Abstract

In a strong crosswind, the wake of a bridge tower will lead to an abrupt change of the aerodynamic forces acting on a vehicle passing through it, which may result in problems related to the transportation safety. This study investigates the transient aerodynamic characteristics of a high-speed train moving in a truss girder bridge and passing by a bridge tower in a wind tunnel. The scaled ratio of the train, bridge, and tower are 1:30. Effects of various parameters such as the incoming wind speed, train speed, and yaw angle on the aerodynamic performance of the train were considered. Then the sudden change mechanism of aerodynamic loads on the train when it crosses over the tower was further discussed. The results show that the bridge tower has an apparent shielding effect on the train passing through it, with the influencing width being larger than the width of the tower. The train speed is the main factor affecting the influencing width of aerodynamic coefficients, and the mutation amplitude is mainly related to the yaw angle obtained by changing the incoming wind speed or train speed. The vehicle movement introduces an asymmetry of loading on the train in the process of approaching and leaving the wake of the bridge tower, which should not be neglected.

References

[1] Chen SR, Cai CS. Unified approach to predict the dynamic performance of transportation system considering wind effects. Struct Eng Mech 2006, 23 279-292

[2] Guo WW, Xu YL, Xia H, Zhang WS, Shum KM. Dynamic response of suspension bridge to typhoon and trains. II: numerical results. J Struct Eng 2007, 133 12-21

[3] Xia H, Guo WW, Zhang N, Sun GJ. Dynamic analysis of a train-bridge system under wind action. Comput Struct 2008, 86 1845-1855

[4] Li YL, Xiang HY, Wang B, Xu YL, Qiang SZ. Dynamic analysis of wind-vehicle-bridge coupling system during the meeting of two trains. Adv Struct Eng 2013, 16 1663-1670

[5] Xu YL, Guo WH. Dynamic analysis of coupled road vehicle and cable-stayed bridge systems under turbulent wind. Eng Struct 2003, 25 473-486

[6] Cai CS, Chen SR. Framework of vehicle-bridge-wind dynamic analysis. J Wind Eng Ind Aerodyn 2004, 92 579-607

[7] Li YL, Qiang SZ, Liao HL, Xu YL. Dynamics of wind-rail vehicle-bridge systems. J Wind Eng Ind Aerodyn 2005, 93 483-507

[8] Xu L, Zhai WM. Track-tunnel coupled dynamic analysis: system spatial variation on geometry, physics and mechanics. Railw Eng Sci 2020, 28 36-53

[9] Xu L, Zhai WM. Vehicle-track-tunnel dynamic interaction: a finite/infinite element modelling method. Railw Eng Sci 2021, 29 109-126

[10] Liu DJ, Li XZ, Ma SH, Wu JF. Study of coupling vibration of wind-train-track-bridge system for main ship channel bridge of Hutong Changjiang River Bridge. Bridge Constr 2015, 45 24-29(in Chinese)

[11] Gao WB, Su QK, Zhang JW, Xie HB, Wen F, Li F, Liu JZ. Steel bridge construction of Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge. Int J Steel Struct 2020, 20 1498-1508

[12] Xu HL (2007) Xihoumen Bridge—Zhoushan Island Linking Project. In: Proceedings of the 24th Annual International Bridge Conference, Pittsburgh, Oct 29–Nov 2, 2007, pp 40–51

[13] Zhou Q, Zhu LD. Numerical and experimental study on wind environment at near tower region of a bridge deck. Heliyon 2020, 6 e03902

[14] Zhang JY, Zhang MJ, Huang B, Li YL, Yu JX, Jiang FY. Wind tunnel test on local wind field around the bridge tower of a truss girder. Adv Civ Eng 2021, 2021 1-13

[15] Chen SR, Cai CS. Accident assessment of vehicles on long-span bridges in windy environments. J Wind Eng Ind Aerodyn 2004, 92 991-1024

[16] Snæbjörnsson JT, Baker CJ, Sigbjörnsson R. Probabilistic assessment of road vehicle safety in windy environments. J Wind Eng Ind Aerodyn 2007, 95 1445-1462

[17] Sterling M, Quinn AD, Hargreaves DM, Cheli F, Sabbioni E, Tomasini G, Delaunay D, Baker CJ, Morvan H. A comparison of different methods to evaluate the wind induced forces on a high sided lorry. J Wind Eng Ind Aerodyn 2010, 98 10-20

[18] Dorigatti F, Sterling M, Rocchi D, Belloli M, Quinn AD, Baker CJ, Ozkan E. Wind tunnel measurements of crosswind loads on high sided vehicles over long span bridges. J Wind Eng Ind Aerodyn 2012, 107–108 214-224

[19] Zhu LD, Li L, Xu YL, Zhu Q. Wind tunnel investigations of aerodynamic coefficients of road vehicles on bridge deck. J Fluids Struct 2012, 30 35-50

[20] Liu X, Han Y, Cai CS, Levitan M, Nikitopoulos D. Wind tunnel tests for mean wind loads on road vehicles. J Wind Eng Ind Aerodyn 2016, 150 15-21

[21] Baker CJ. Train aerodynamic forces and moments from moving model experiments. J Wind Eng Ind Aerodyn 1986, 24 227-251

[22] Cairns RS (1994) Lateral aerodynamic characteristics of motor vehicles in transient crosswinds. Dissertation, Cranfield University

[23] Li Y, Hu P, Xu Y, Zhang M, Liao H. Wind loads on a moving vehicle-bridge deck system by wind-tunnel model test. Wind Struct 2014, 19 145-167

[24] Bocciolone M, Cheli F, Corradi R, Muggiasca S, Tomasini G. Crosswind action on rail vehicles: wind tunnel experimental analyses. J Wind Eng Ind Aerodyn 2008, 96 584-610

[25] Dorigatti F, Sterling M, Baker CJ, Quinn AD. Crosswind effects on the stability of a model passenger train—a comparison of static and moving experiments. J Wind Eng Ind Aerodyn 2015, 138 36-51

[26] Xiang H, Li Y, Chen S, Li C. A wind tunnel test method on aerodynamic characteristics of moving vehicles under crosswinds. J Wind Eng Ind Aerodyn 2017, 163 15-23

[27] Rocchi D, Rosa L, Sabbioni E, Sbrosi M, Belloli M. A numerical-experimental methodology for simulating the aerodynamic forces acting on a moving vehicle passing through the wake of a bridge tower under cross wind. J Wind Eng Ind Aerodyn 2012, 104–106 256-265

[28] Li Y, Hu P, Cai CS, Zhang M, Qiang S. Wind tunnel study of a sudden change of train wind loads due to the wind shielding effects of bridge towers and passing trains. J Eng Mech 2013, 139 1249-1259

[29] Salati L, Schito P, Rocchi D, Sabbioni E. Aerodynamic study on a heavy truck passing by a bridge pylon under crosswinds using CFD. J Bridge Eng 2018, 23 04018065

[30] Charuvisit S, Kimura K, Fujino Y. Experimental and semi-analytical studies on the aerodynamic forces acting on a vehicle passing through the wake of a bridge tower in cross wind. J Wind Eng Ind Aerodyn 2004, 92 749-780

[31] Argentini T, Ozkan E, Rocchi D, Rosa L, Zasso A. Cross-wind effects on a vehicle crossing the wake of a bridge pylon. J Wind Eng Ind Aerodyn 2011, 99 734-740

[32] Wang B, Xu YL, Zhu LD, Li YL. Crosswind effect studies on road vehicle passing by bridge tower using computational fluid dynamics. Eng Appl Comput Fluid Mech 2014, 8 330-344

[33] Li XZ, Wang M, Xiao J, Zou QY, Liu DJ. Experimental study on aerodynamic characteristics of high-speed train on a truss bridge: a moving model test. J Wind Eng Ind Aerodyn 2018, 179 26-38

[34] Wang M, Li XZ, Xiao J, Zou QY, Sha HQ. An experimental analysis of the aerodynamic characteristics of a high-speed train on a bridge under crosswinds. J Wind Eng Ind Aerodyn 2018, 177 92-100

[35] Yao Z, Zhang N, Chen X, Zhang C, Xia H, Li X. The effect of moving train on the aerodynamic performances of train-bridge system with a crosswind. Engineering Applications of Computational Fluid Mechanics 2020, 14 222-235

[36] Cooper RK (1979) The effect of cross-winds on trains. In: Proceedings of the ASME-CSME Conference on Aerodynamics of Transportation. Niagara, June 18–20

[37] Cheli F, Corradi R, Rocchi D, Tomasini G, Maestrini E. Wind tunnel tests on train scale models to investigate the effect of infrastructure scenario. J Wind Eng Ind Aerodyn 2010, 98 353-362

[38] Tomasini G, Giappino S, Corradi R. Experimental investigation of the effects of embankment scenario on railway vehicle aerodynamic coefficients. J Wind Eng Ind Aerodyn 2014, 131 59-71

[39] He XH, Zou YF, Wang HF, Han Y, Shi K. Aerodynamic characteristics of a trailing rail vehicles on viaduct based on still wind tunnel experiments. J Wind Eng Ind Aerodyn 2014, 135 22-33

[40] Wang M, Li XZ, Xiao J, Sha HQ, Zou QY. Effects of infrastructure on the aerodynamic performance of a high-speed train. Proc IMechE Part F J Rail Rapid Transit 2020, 235 679-689

[41] Li X, Tan Y, Qiu X, Gong Z, Wang M. Wind tunnel measurement of aerodynamic characteristic of trains passing each other on a simple supported box girder bridge. Railw Eng Sci 2021, 29 152-162

[42] Sabbioni E, Sbrosi M, Rocchi D, Galeotti R. Dynamic response of vehicle-driver couple to the aerodynamic loads due to the crossing of a bridge tower wake. SAE Int J Commer Veh 2012, 5 83-93

[43] Wang B, Xu YL. Safety analysis of a road vehicle passing by a bridge tower under crosswinds. J Wind Eng Ind Aerodyn 2015, 137 25-36

[44] Wang Y, Zhang Z, Zhang Q, Hu Z, Su C. Dynamic coupling analysis of the aerodynamic performance of a sedan passing by the bridge pylon in a crosswind. Appl Math Model 2021, 89 1279-1293

Funding

National Natural Science Foundation of China(U1434205)

Natural Science Foundation of Zhejiang Province(LY19E080016)