Experimental Study of the Aerodynamic Characteristics of a Suspended Monorail Vehicle-Bridge System Under Crosswinds

Using wind tunnel tests, the aerodynamic characteristics of a suspended monorail transport (SMT) are systematically investigated under crosswinds for the first time. Two practical vehicle-bridge combination forms (single-line and double-line) are considered. As a contrast, single vehicle and bridge models are also studied to further reveal their aerodynamic characteristics. The mean and root mean square (RMS) wind pressure coefficients, aerodynamic coefficients and power spectrum density (PSD) distributions are used to numerically investigate the effects. The paper confirms that: (1) the mean wind pressure coefficients of the single vehicle and bridge models are close to unity at the center point of the windward side and gradually decrease from the center point to both sides. The maximum value of the RMS wind pressure coefficients mainly occurs at the top or bottom surface of the testing models due to the effect of vortex shedding; (2) the aerodynamic coefficients and the mean and RMS wind pressure coefficients are significantly increased for both the vehicle and bridge models when considering the aerodynamic coupling effects; (3) the aerodynamic characteristics of the bridge can be significantly affected by the location of the running vehicle, but the fluid flow can maintain relative stability during the meeting of the two vehicles.

Automated summary

This study systematically investigates the aerodynamic characteristics of a suspended monorail transport under crosswinds using wind tunnel tests. The effects of vehicle-bridge combinations and the aerodynamic coupling effects are examined. The results show that considering the aerodynamic coupling effects significantly increases the aerodynamic characteristics of the vehicle and bridge models. The location of the running vehicle has a significant impact on the aerodynamic characteristics of the bridge.