Experimental study on flutter stability of a long-span bridge subject to wind-rain actions

Based on the free vibration test method for extracting flutter derivatives, an experiment on flutter stability of a long-span bridge under simultaneous actions of wind and rain was carried out in a wind tunnel. A separated twin-box girder section model was employed as the specimen. The flutter derivatives and critical flutter wind speed of this girder subject to both wind and rain (with various rainfall intensities, wind speeds and attack angles) were obtained, then the flutter stability of the bridge influenced by rainfall was analyzed. Experimental results showed that the flutter derivatives of this bridge depend on the angles of attack of wind flow in the wind and rain fields. Also, rainfall has great effect on three flutter derivatives (H ₂*, H ₄*and A ₄*) and has less effect on other three flutter derivatives (H ₁*, H ₃*and A ₃*). With the increasing rainfall density, the critical flutter velocity first increases and then decreases. Low density of rainfall has the effect of increasing mass, stiffness and damping on bridge decks, and higher density of rainfall has the effect of random inhomogeneous impact on bridge decks.