Coupled Multimode Flutter Analysis of Suspension Bridges Using Finite Element Method

A coupled multimode finite element analysis for determining the flutter speed of suspension bridges is presented. The formulation is obtained in a matrix format using Hamilton’s principle. The stiffness and mass matrices of the system are obtained using an energy formulation, which takes into account the effect of suspended cables on the deck. Vincent-Thomas Bridge is taken as an illustrative example. The flutter speed of the bridge obtained by the FEM analysis is compared with that obtained by the continuum approach. It is shown that the flutter speeds obtained by both methods are practically the same. The results of the parametric study show that any error in estimating the structural damping and modal characteristics of the bridge deck may significantly change the flutter speed.

کلیدواژه ها:

Flutter speed ، flutter derivatives ، coupled multimode method ، suspension bridge