On the Aerostructural Design of Long-Span Cable-Stayed Bridges: The Contribution of Parameter Variation Studies with Focus on the Deck Design

The design of long-span bridges consists of dealing with a large number of design variables and it is conditioned by responses of structural and aeroelastic nature. A deep knowledge about the influence of these variables governing the bridge responses is crucial to achieve efficient and safe designs. Apart from heuristic rules, numerical approaches, such as parameter variation studies, sensitivity analysis and optimization algorithms, can provide reliable information to improve designs. This work studies the effects on the flutter and structural responses of a cable-stayed bridge when the mechanical, mass, aerodynamic and aeroelastic properties of a streamlined mono-box deck are modified. These results are used to understand qualitatively and quantitatively the effects caused by the variation of the deck plate thickness and cross-section shape on the bridge responses.