Mechanism of aerodynamic vibrations of shallow bridge girder sections

Abstract Aerodynamic vibrations induced on shallow bridge girder sections are classified by various names such as heaving and torsional vortex-excited vibrations, galloping, and torsional flutter. The present paper investigates the mechanism of the aerodynamic vibrations of shallow bridge sections by measurement of their surface pressures and flow visualization around the sections. It concludes that flow patterns on the surface closely relate to the various aerodynamic vibrations and these vibrations are regarded as phenomenon based on the flow patterns on the surface which is transformed according to the variety of approaching wind velocity.