Effects of Handrail Details and Layout on Vortex-Induced Instability of a Bridge Girder

Abstract

Aerodynamic instabilities of a bridge girder is sensitive to bridge attachments such as handrails. But it is still lacking an in-depth study on the effect of the handrail details and layout on vortex-induced vibration (VIV). In this study, Spring-supported free-vibration wind tunnel tests were conducted to investigate the effect of handrails on VIV response of a single box girder. Experimental results shows that increasing the side ratio of the handrail middle bar decrease the VIV amplitude. Meanwhile, setting a grid handrail or a solid handrail at the leeward side is quite effective in improving the VIV instability.