Efficacy of the Implied Approximation in the Identification of Flutter Derivatives

Structural motion induced aerodynamic forces on bridges are customarily characterized in terms of flutter derivatives. Considerable effort has been extended to refine the procedure to identify flutter derivatives of bridge decks using spring-suspended two-degree-of-freedom bridge deck section models in wind tunnels. In this context, techniques and implied approximations employed in the literature to identify flutter derivatives from section model studies are highlighted. Through a parametric study, this Technical Note assesses the efficacy of a customarily used identification procedure which provides an improved insight and better understanding of the identification technique for flutter derivatives.