Analysis of a Bridge Structure and its Wind Barrier under Wind Loads

In this paper a study of wind barrier efficiency in terms of traffic safety is analyzed. A novel approach to bridge structures design is represented, where relevant traffic safety issues are incorporated into an early stage of design procedures. The numerical procedure based on standard turbulence model is applied to calculate resulting wind forces on the vehicle of arbitrary geometry. The effect of wind barriers geometry placed on both sides of the viaduct on resulting vehicle wind forces is analyzed. Used numerical procedure has also been experimentally verified in a wind tunnel laboratory. Complex multibody models that could be used to analyze vehicle handling and riding dynamic are represented. Further, vehicle models are used to show how resulting wind forces could affect vehicle dynamic and traffic safety issues. Relevant traffic safety situations are considered and discussed for particular wind barrier.