INCREASE OF CRITICAL FLUTTER WIND-SPEED OF LONG-SPAN BRIDGES USING TUNED MASS DAMPERS

In this paper increasing the critical flutter wind speed of long-span bridges by using tuned mass dampers (TMDs) is theoretically and experi mentally studied. Equations governing the motions of a bridge with TMD s are established. The Routh-Hurwitz stability criterion is used to st udy the aerodynamic instability of the bridge based on the characteris tic equation of the system of the bridge and TMDs. A sectional model w ind-tunnel test on the Tiger Gate Bridge, a suspension bridge with a s teel box deck and a center span of 888 m, is carried out to confirm th e numerical results. Some new findings from the test and the calculati on are presented. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.