Specialists of the Krylov Center investigated wind loads on the Kerch Bridge

At the design stage of unique buildings and structures, it is necessary to take into account the impact of various environmental factors. Japanese experts equate the wind load on a skyscraper of more than 200 meters to the impact of a 9-point earthquake.

Sergey Solovyov, Candidate of Physico-Mathematical Sciences, Deputy Head of the Department of Hydroaerodynamics at the Krylov State Scientific Center, notes that taking into account aerodynamic factors at the design stage is especially important for the safe construction and operation of not only high-rise buildings, but also unique structures. Bridges with a central span of more than 100 meters may be subject to some type of aeroelastic instability. One of the methods to prevent dangerous vibrations from occurring at the bridge design stage is to test the model in wind tunnels.

The study of the aerodynamic stability of the superstructure of the bridge crossing over the Kerch Strait was carried out in a Landscape wind Tunnel of the Krylov State Scientific Center. The aerodynamic characteristics of the bridge were investigated, and fluctuations in the central span of the highway bridge due to vortex resonance were revealed. As a result, experts have developed unique devices in the form of passive aerodynamic fairings that completely eliminate the vibrations of the central span.

To learn more about the experimental modeling of ice loads on the pillars of the Kerch Bridge and emergency collisions of ships with its pillars, we invite you to the thematic section at the 100+ Forum Russia 2016. There will also be reports from experts on engineering solutions for a cable-stayed bridge with V-shaped pylons across the Golden Horn Bay in Vladivostok and the specifics of calculating a cable-stayed bridge across the Petrovsky Fairway in St. Petersburg.

The landscape wind tunnel, built at the Krylov State Scientific Center, is a unique experimental installation, which significantly surpasses its foreign counterparts in terms of technical characteristics.

The wind tunnel tests models of landscapes, ports, berthing facilities, offshore platforms, gas carriers, icebreakers, as well as residential areas and bridge crossings. A landscape wind tunnel is used to solve all kinds of aerodynamic problems in high-rise buildings and to test complex objects such as large-span bridges.