ANALYSIS OF AERODYNAMIC FORCES ON

SUSPENSION BRIDGE STABILITY

Ika Herawati1 ( 40669 ) ; Legi Pratama2 ( 40687 ) ; Satria Antariksa Ramadhan3
( 36945 ) ; Yunanto4 ( 40665)
Jurusan Teknik Fisika Universitas Gadjah Mada
Jl. Grafika No. 2, Yogyakarta
Abstract :
Bridge is an important device used for connecting two separated sides of land and
it has many types. In this time, we will focus on the suspension bridge, especially that
construction which has important rule. Some factors of the bridge construction can
affect strength and durability. They are structure, necessity, and materials. Besides
that, the external factors are also affected, like the aerodynamic forces. These forces
which is on the suspension bridge are lift force and drag force. Lift force affect the
strain of the cable and drag force caused by wind vortex happened around the bridge
sides. Here, we will analyze it use regression methods from numerical methods
rapprochement. The regression methods is used to analyze the relationship between the
angle of attack of wind velocity and the aerodynamic coefficient of the suspension
bridge forces. It is important because it has relationship with the suspension bridge
stability. The bridge is the flexible bridge which has the sensitive structure with the
wind velocity around it, so it will be easy to tremble. So, using numerical methods, the
suspension bridge can be built in the stability.
Keywords : The suspension bridge stability, aerodynamic forces, Regression methods.
I.

INTRODUCTION

cable. It affects the bridge stability. The

The suspension bridge is one of long

structure of the bridge is it has the

span bridge type which has the cable

portion of bluff or non aerodynamic

made from steel or rope on its sides of

shape which is very susceptible with the

the bridge. The load and the wind pass

wind velocity. Interaction among them

the bridge will influence the strain of the

can make the dangerous problem if the

wind velocity spectrum is larger.

Aerodynamic

forces

affect

In the analysis of regression, the

the

regression equation will be determined

interaction between the bridge and the

and used to describe the function of the

wind are lift force ( FL ) and drag force

relation among the variables. Variable

( FD ). Lift force is the vertical force at

will be estimated its value is called

the bridge caused by the difference of

dependent or response variable. In the

the surface area of the bridge.

analysis, dependent variable is the strain

Lift force, drag force, the strain of

of the cable. And variable which is

cable, and the wind velocity are very

assumed give the effect in variety of

important because they are affected the

dependent variable is called independent

stability of the suspension bridge. And

or axplanatory variable. The wind

the stability has relationship with safety.

velocity in this analysis is independent

The analysis is done for determine

variable.

the bridge stability relations with the

The

common

regression

line

wind velocity and the strain cable which

equation for the simple linier regression

suspends the bridge. It is hoped to help

is :

the bridge construction become more

= a + bx

durable and it can restrain the tremble.

Where :

II. METHOD

In the analysis, we use regression

methods to analysis the relation between

= the

estimate

value

of

dependent variable
a

the wind velocity and the strain of cable

= intersection of regression line at

y axe

which is caused by aerodynamic forces.

= gradient of line regression

In this case, they are lift force and drag

= the

force.

compound regression is studied about

more than two variables.

of

independent

The value of a and b are defined

below :

or more variable. The simple regression

is studied about two variables, while the

value

variable.

Regression methods is used to study

and determine the relation between two

the

n yn
n 1
n 1 n 1
2
N
N

2
N xn - xn
n 1
n 1
N

N xn y n -

Wind) and the Drag force will be named

a = bx

as FD .

III. ANALYSIS

Look at the picture below.

Have you ever crossed a suspension

bridge alone ? It must be terrible.
Especially if you crossed when the wind
was blowing fast. You had to feel the
motions of the bridge. It will be easily

Lifting force is caused of the

found in small suspension bridge. Small

difference between the top and bottom

suspension bridge are many built at the

surface area. It causes different velocity

semi isolated district. For the such place,

of the wind for both. This velocity

its hard to built a permanent bridge,

difference will cause further effect, it is

most of the bridge are connecting deep

the different pressure which is caused by

valley. And off course, lots of wind

fluids

blows there. Due to the phenomena, we

different

are attracted to make an analysis about

difference force for those two surfaces.

the wind effect for suspension these

And the resultant of the forces will affect

bridges stability. When the wind blows

the bridge stability. It can make the

and hit a suspension bridge construction,

bridge to be raised or pushed down.

it will affect the tension content of the

When it is raised up, it will reduce the

wire(or rope) where the bridge is tied.

value of the tension of the bridge rope,

This will be very dangerous if there is a

but is will be dangerous if the weight of

person who across the bridge alone,

the crosser is small, he can be thrown.

moreover if he is a child. He can be

Hence when the bridge is pushed down,

thrown from the bridge down. We

it will make the tension of the rope

conclude that the wind blow causes two

bigger, but it cause a more stable

forces. Lifting force and Drag force. The

condition of the bridge. Its analogical

lifting force is a force in vertical

like when have two threads, you tie the

direction, while the Pushing force is in

one with a paper and the other one is tied

horizontal direction. Then, we will name

to a stone. Put them together in front of

the Lifting Force as FL (Force caused by

a switched on fan, you will see that the

velocity

around

pressure

will

it.

Finally,

cause

the

position of the stone is more stable than

the paper. Though, the raising force can

Drybye and Hansen ( 1996 ) said that the

help because reducing the tension, but

aerodynamic forces can be found by :

we thought it will be better if we to the

stability of the bridge.

FTotal = FQ + FT + FM
where :
- FQ is averaged aerodynamic force by
time - averaged mean wind load

Here, were going to analyze this

phenomena. We will concern to the
effect of wind velocity and its angle to
the aerodynamic forces. We want to
predict the value of drag, lift, and torsion
coefficient.
First, we use the Bernoulli Pressure
equation,

- FT is aerodynamic force caused by

buffeting, wind gusts
- FM is aerodynamic force caused by
motion induced wind load
They are important to be analyzed
but the most important force is averaged
aerodynamic force ( FQ ) because it is the
force which mostly happened and the
bridge structure must restrain it.
The averaged aerodynamic force is

p 1 v1 g h1 p 1 v 2 g h 2
2
2
2

Or it can be simplified by

consisted of FD as drag force, FL as lift

force, and M as aerodynamic torsion.
Those

p 1 v 2 constant
2
Because there is no high difference ( h 1 =
h2 ).
If we integrate the pressure p along

forces

can

be

written

respectively as :
FD 1 v 2 A c D ( )
2
FL 1 v 2 A c L ( )
2
M 1 v2 A 2 cM ( )
2

the bridge surface, we will get the total

is the density of air, v is the wind

forces and torsion. That is drag, lift, and

velocity, and c ( D, L, M ) ( ) is the

torsion which affected too much by

coefficient of drag force, lift force, and

Reynold number ( Re ).

aerodynamic torsion respectively, is

In the study about long span bridge,

the angle of attack of wind velocity, and

A is the bridge deck - width.

From those equations, we can find
the aerodynamic coefficients from these
formulas :
cD ( )
cL ( )
cM ( )

cL ( )
cM ( )

FL
1 ( v sin ) 2 A
2
M
1 ( v cos ) 2 A 2
2

FD
1 v2 A
2
FL
1 v2 A
2

In this analysis we make the angle

of attack as independent variable and the
aerodynamic coefficient as dependent

variable, while the density of air, the

1 v2 A 2
2

wind velocity, and the bridge deck width are constant.

The

aerodynamic

coefficient

respectively can be found by the

equation as follow :
c D c D0 ( ) c D ( )
'

c L0 ( ) 2

AR e

AR ( aspect ratio ) = h2 / A, h is the

bridge thickness.
c L c L0 ( ) c L ( )
'

cM cM0 ( ) cM ( )
'

We know that the wind flow has

direction. The direction of wind flow
passes the side of the bridge ( Look at
the picture above ) and it creates an

'

c D, L, M

c D, L, M

This

is

the

aerodynamic friction equation )

angle between the wind and the bridge

Because this analysis needs some

called angle of attack ( ). So the

data of the suspension bridge, so we try

aerodynamic coefficient equation can be

to search the data from the books and

written as follow :

internet, but we find no data, so we use

cD ( )

FD

the data which it gets from Wind Tunnel

1 ( v cos ) 2 A
2

Test and we modify it for this analysis

which is suitable with the averaged -

wind velocity in Indonesia, that is about

c ( D, L, M ) in the range of angle of attack is

2.5 - 6 m/s and we takes the middle

from 0.5 to 2.5 rad as follow :

value, that is about 4.25 m / s. The data

can be seen below :

and we take the value of angle of attack (

) is about 0.5 - 2.5 rad.
The pictures below is the side
section

of

the

bridge

model

cD
0.5888
1.0950
26.6454
-0.3458
-0.3313

Model 1
cL
cM
( rad )
0.5727 5.45 x 10 - 6
0.5
-6
0.9303 8.86 x 10
1
-6
7.1058 6.76 x 10
1.5
-1.2078 -1.15 x 10 - 5
2
-5
-0.6274 -5.97 x 10
2.5

cD
0.6011
1.1196
27.4559
-0.3412
-0.3341

Model 2
cL
cM
( rad )
0.5824 5.54 x 10 - 6
0.5
-6
0.9460 9.01 x 10
1
7.2257 6.88 x 10 - 5
1.5
-1.2282 -1.17 x 10 - 5
2
-6
-0.6380 -6.07 x 10
2.5

cD
0.5961
1.1096
27.128
-0.3430
-0.3330

Model 3
cL
cM
( rad )
-6
0.5785 5.51 x 10
0.5
0.9396 8.95 x 10 - 6
1
-6
7.1774 6.83 x 10
1.5
-1.2200 -1.16 x 10 - 6
2
-6
-0.6337 -6.03 x 10
2.5

cD
0.5816
1.0805
26.1743
-0.3483
-0.3296

Model 4
cL
cM
( rad )
-6
0.5670 5.40 x 10
0.5
0.9210 8.77 x 10 - 6
1
-6
7.0352 6.70 x 10
1.5
-6
-1.1958 -1.13 x 10
2
-0.6211 -5.91 x 10 - 6 2.5

respectively :
a.

Model 1

b.

Model 2

c.

Model 3

d.

Model 4

We want to find the best model

which it is suitable with the averaged wind velocity in Indonesia, so we using
MATLAB R2013A to find it with

Wind tunnel test gets the value of

Regression Method from Numerical

Method Rapprochement, and the result

can be seen below :
a.

Model 1

From the graphic above we know that

the value of cD is bigger than the value of
From the graphic we know that the value

cL, it means that the model is worst to be

of cD is smaller than the value of c L and

used in Indonesia, because the model is

cM. And cL is the biggest of all. The

the most sensitive model of all. It can be

model is a good model because the value

seen by the curl of curvature.

of aerodynamic coefficient is like that, it

means that lift force on this model is

c.

Model 3

bigger than its drag force, so the bridge

will be on stability in the range of angle
of attack between 0.5 - 2.5 rad and the
averaged - wind velocity is about 2.5 - 6
m / s.
b.

Model 2

From the graphic we know that the value

of cD is bigger than the value of cL, it
means that the model is also sensitive to
be used in Indonesia, but it is less

sensitive than Model 2, because the curl

equation, while cD is the nonlinear

of the curvature is less than Model 2, so

equation or the polynomial equation. In

the model will be more stable than

the graphic above :

Model 2 if it is used in Indonesia.

d.

Model 4

- x as

- v as cL

- y as cD

- z as cM

IV. CONCLUSION
1.

The best - bridge model which is

suitable with the averaged - wind

velocity in Indonesia is MODEL 1,
because the value of the cL in this model
is bigger than the value of cM, it means
that the bridge will be in stability than
the others model.
2.

The sensitive - bridge model or the

worst - bridge model is MODEL 2,

because the graphic show that the curve
From the graphic we know that the value

of the cD in range of angle of attack

of cD is also bigger than the value of cL.

( 0.5 - 2.5 rad ) is the most curlest of all.

But if we shows the curl of the curvature

3.

we can conclude that this model is more

MODEL 4, we can conclude that the

stable than Model 2 and Model 3

MODEL 4 is more stable than MODEL

because the curl is less the both of them.

3, because the line of cD shows that

So, if this model is used in Indonesia,

MODEL 3 is curler than MODEL 4.

this model will be more stable than

4.

Model 2 and Model 3, because it is less

wind velocity in Indonesia and in the

sensitive of them all.

range of angle of attack between 0.5 -

If MODEL 3 is compared with

This result is just for the averaged -

Look at all of the equation and the

2.5 rad. The result will be different if the

graphic above, what will we conclude ?

range of angle of attack and the averaged

From the coding and the graphic, we

- wind velocity changed.

know that cL dan cM equation is linear

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http://www.grc.nasa.gov/WWW/K12/airplane/dragco.html

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