Abstract
This study attempts to clarify of the mechanism of rain-wind induced vibration of the stay cables of a cable stayed bridge and to find an effective aerodynamic stabilization method. Through a series of wind tunnel tests the fundamental aerodynamic characteristics of a yawed and/or inclinedcircular cylinder withand without rain were investigated. An intense secondaryaxial flow was found to form in the early wake, playing a similar role to that of a splitter plate submergedinthe wake. This axial flow resulted inanaerodynamic exciting force acting onthe yawed and/or the inclined circular cylinder. The role of rain in the rain-wind induced vibration of the stay cable is shown to be that of an amplifier of the essential, unstable aerodynamic characteristics of the yawed and/or the inclined circular cylinder. Aerodynamic stabilization should depend essentially on controlling this characteristic secondary flow.
