Application of surrogate models in the characterization of the aerodynamic response of streamlined bridge decks

The design of long span bridges is highly conditioned by the aeroelastic phenomena, which are mainly governed by the structural properties of the bridge and the deck cross-section aerodynamics. Both factors are typically interdependent, and their accurate characterization is desirable to improve the design process in this kind of structures. This paper develops an approach based on the combination of CFD techniques, surrogate models and the quasi-steady theory for obtaining the flutter derivatives of streamlined decks considering variable geometry. The baseline deck crosssection is the generic Scanlan's G1 cross-section, and modifications of the width and depth up to a maximum value of± 10% are considered. The CFD analyses are carried out by a 2-D Unsteady Reynolds-Averaged Navier-Stokes approach combined with Menter's k ω SST turbulence model, and the surrogate model employed is the Kriging technique. The results are validated with the force coefficients and flutter derivatives obtained from wind tunnel test of sectional models, presenting good agreement in the results.