Linear and nonlinear aeroelastic analysis frameworks for cable-supported bridges

Based on the general framework of the linear thin airfoil theory, aeroelastic analysis of bridges has evolved over the last few decades in both time and frequency domains. As the bridge span increases, aeroelastic forces exerted on the evolving bridge deck cross-sections exhibit a clear departure from the linearized analysis framework that have been the basis of conventional schemes. This trend and observations of nonlinearity in the bridge aeroelasticity in wind-tunnel experiments have prompted the need for the development of a new general analysis framework attentive to both linear and nonlinear wind-bridge interactions. In this paper, the existing conventional linear and nonlinear analysis frameworks are first systematically reviewed with a focus on the study of the relationships among them. After analyzing the shortcomings of these conventional frameworks, two advanced nonlinear models, i.e., artificial neural network- (ANN-) and Volterra series-based models are introduced. The important parameters of conventional and advanced models are investigated in detail to emphasize the physical significance of these models in the simulation of the wind-bridge interactions. Application examples of the linear and nonlinear schemes are also presented highlighting the aeroelastic effects under smooth/turbulent wind conditions.