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Experimental and analytical evaluation of the aeroelastic behavior of the

Baluarte bridge.

Conference Paper · July 2011

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J. Peter C. King Roberto Gomez

The University of Western Ontario Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México
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Adrián Pozos-Estrada Raúl Sánchez-García

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 Experimental and analytical evaluation of the aeroelastic
behavior of the Baluarte bridge
J. P. C. King a, L. Kong b, R. Gómez-Martínez c, A. Pozos-Estrada d and
R. Sánchez-García e
a
Boundary Layer Wind Tunnel Laboratory, The University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada,
Ph: (519) 661-3338, jpck@blwtl.uwo.ca
b
Boundary Layer Wind Tunnel Laboratory, The University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada,
Ph: (519) 661-3338, klz@blwtl.uwo.ca
c Instituto de Ingeniería, Circuito escolar, Ciudad Universitaria, CP 04510, México D.F. Ph: (55)56233600

x. 3652, RGomezM@iingen.unam.mx
d Instituto de Ingeniería, Circuito escolar, Ciudad Universitaria, CP 04510, México D.F. Ph: (55)56233600

x. 8482, APozosE@iingen.unam.mx
e Instituto de Ingeniería, Circuito escolar, Ciudad Universitaria, CP 04510, México D.F. Ph: (55)56233600

x. 8464, RSanchezG@iingen.unam.mx

1 INTRODUCTION

It is well known that the prediction of the complete aeroelastic behavior of cable stayed
bridges is a complex task due to the flexibility of the superstructure, dynamic stability, the
interaction of wind and structure and associated issues. To date, for the evaluation of the
experimental response in wind tunnels of some of the most important cable stayed bridges
built in Mexico, officials of the Ministry of Communications and Transportation (SCT) had
only utilized section models. However, due to the location and characteristics of the Balu-
arte bridge, which is one of the most important of its kind in Latin America, years before its
construction, researchers of the Institute of Engineering of UNAM (IIUNAM), suggested
carrying out two additional activities: testing of an aeroelastic model of the complete
bridge, and monitoring of wind velocities at the site during construction.
In this paper the results of the first activity mentioned above are described, emphasizing the
particular features observed when the aeroelastic model was tested under smooth and topo-
graphic flow conditions. The second activity is in process and will last until the completion
of the bridge; information recorded during this period will be useful to confirm the recom-
mendations of the wind risk study of the site, developed previously to the design stage of
the bridge. However, some of the information derived from wind records registered at the
site was used to provide information for the wind tunnel study. Further, a comparison of
some of the wind tunnel results with those obtained with a mathematical model of the
bridge is also presented.

2 THE BALUARTE BRIDGE

The Baluarte bridge is destined to be one of the icons of Mexican bridge engineering, due to
its particular features and location. It will be the longest cable-stayed bridge in North Amer-
ica and will be located in the Pacific mountains of Mexico along the Mazatlan-Durango
new highway at the border of the Sinaloa and Durango northern states, at approximately
50km from the coast in an area known as the “Devils Backbone” because of its intricate to-
pography. This area is also prone to hurricanes. The bridge is currently under construction
and crosses a ravine of about 390m in depth.

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