Modelling and simulating the extreme wind effect on structures

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Over the past 20 years, more than 221 severe wind events were recorded yearly in Canada, and their effects on critical infrastructure have direct consequences on decreasing safety levels for populations in affected areas. Massive structures, such as long-span bridges, are considered more resilient to strong wind effects than high-rise buildings, towers, and electrical transmission lines; however the complexity of these structures implies higher vulnerability of their exposed structural elements such as bridge decks, towers and cables. The aerodynamic stability verification of each element of bridges, and of the entire bridge structure, became a standard criteria for the long-span bridges design process; however a global tendency of developing and implementing a new generation of twin and triple deck bridges, which have the outstanding advantage of extending the main spans dimensions to more than 2,000 m, is currently undertaken by several international research communities. The Canadian representation in this topic consists in the quadruple bridge deck prototype, proposed by the applicant, which was tested by conventional experimental methods, and proved to have better aerodynamic stability. However, for long-span bridges with complex deck configurations, to pass extreme winds safety criteria verification, novel and versatile tests and dynamic stability criteria must be diligently elaborated and carried out.