Equivalent Along-Wind Loads of Aqueduct Bridges

Several cases of wind-destroyed aqueduct bridges in China are introduced. The formulas of static wind are obtained by CFD method for the rectangular aqueduct body. The CFD results agree well with the test data of wind tunnel. A segment of the aqueduct bridge is simplified as a SDOF system. The along-wind dynamic characteristics, with interaction of water (in aqueduct) and structure, are analyzed by analytical method and ANSYS code. Considering the interaction of water and structure, the structural dynamic response to the fluctuating wind is evaluated. The equivalent static wind load of fluctuating wind is estimated with the gust loading factor. The wind-destroyed mechanisms of two aqueduct bridges are analyzed. The analytical results indicate that the equivalent along-wind loads acting on the aqueduct bodies destroyed those structures.