On the mechanism of vertical stabilizer plates for improving aerodynamic stability of bridges

Vertical stabilizer plates have been found to be an effective aerodynamic measure to improve the aerodynamic stability of bridges either with an open cross section or with a streamlined box cross section in wind tunnel testings and have been adopted in some long span bridges. By taking an open deck II-shaped section and a closed box section as examples, the mechanism of vertical stabilizer plates for improving aerodynamic stability are investigated by using numerical simulation based on Random Vortex Method. It is found that vertical stabilizer plates can increase the amplitude of the heaving motion, and decrease that of the rotational motion of the bridge decks.