Prince of Wales Bridge
A tall tower with a unique shape in a windy locale presented a critical need for wind tunnel testing
Field calibration validates wind tunnel testing on iconic cable-stayed bridge
The Prince of Wales Bridge spans the estuarial southern end of the River Severn, which has a tidal range of 14.5 meters (48 feet), the second highest in the world. The bridge offers the southernmost crossing between Bristol, England, and South Wales. The main span is 456 meters (1,496 feet). When the bridge was first constructed, vortex oscillations were observed with a larger amplitude than expected. Our challenge became to understand why. This project illustrates both the difficulty and importance of fully accounting for the effects of wind turbulence and damping when assessing the effects of vortex shedding on bridges and other structures.