Extensive hydro-elastic floating bridge tests: Planning, design, implementation, and numerical comparison

Extensive hydrodynamic and hydro-elastic tests for a long floating bridge have been carried out in the ocean basin of SINTEF Ocean for the Bjornafjord floating bridge project. The complexity of the floating bridge plus cable-stayed bridge, in addition to its 52.58 m model length, mark this test campaign a major undertaking in ocean basin model testing. The design, execution and analysis of the test program has been an iterative process over 5 years. The tests provide data for validation of numerical analysis, study of hydrodynamics phenomenon that cannot be well simulated by state-of-the-art engineering tools, and verification of the design under controlled environmental loads. Wave-current-structure interaction, hydrodynamic interaction between pon-toons, and their impacts on hydro-elastic global responses of floating bridge (with cable stayed bridge) are the main scope of tests. Oscillation tests under different Keulegan-Carpenter (KC) numbers were also carried out for viscous drag coefficient of a pontoon in defined direction. Correlation of test results with numerical analysis is an important part of the work scope, which provides solid basis for a robust design with reduced risk. This article tries to provide an overview of the background, design, execution and correlation work of this extensive tests. Selected examples of correlation work are also provided in the article. The tests have validated the analysis method and software, provided important input to the next phase design, and enhanced the structural reliability of the bridge concept in continuous evolution.

Automated summary

Extensive hydrodynamic and hydro-elastic tests have been conducted for a long floating bridge project, providing validation for numerical analysis, studying hydrodynamics phenomena, and verifying the design under controlled environmental loads. The tests also explored the interaction between wave-current-structure and pontoon hydrodynamics. Correlation between test results and numerical analysis was an important part of the study. The tests have validated analysis methods, enhanced the bridge concept's structural reliability, and informed the next phase of design.