Experimental investigation of rain–wind-induced vibration of cables in cable-stayed bridges and its mitigation

Rain–wind-induced vibration of cables in cable-stayed bridges is presently a worldwide problem of great concern. Because it is sensitively influenced by many parameters, this peculiar phenomenon is difficult to be replicated in laboratory conditions; its mechanism has not been well explained yet. In this paper, the phenomenon of rain–wind-induced vibration of a cable model is successfully reproduced under actual rain conditions in a wind tunnel. The effects of several main factors, including the inclination angle, frequency and damping of the cable as well as the wind yaw angle, etc. on the characteristics of rain–wind-induced vibration are investigated in detail in the test. The countermeasures of double-spiral wires and dampers for the mitigation of the vibration are also experimentally studied. The results show that the size and twine direction and the pitch of the spiral wires twined on the surface of cables have great effects on the mitigation efficiency of rain–wind-induced vibration of cables.