Research on the impact of irregular structure group construction on rail transit bridge piers and its response to wind load

Abstract The possibility of deformation and collision in existing railway bridge foundation structures due to the construction of a group of large irregular structures in close proximity and their potential for overturning under strong wind loads is posed as a potential threat. The impact of the construction of large irregular sculptures on bridge piers and their response under strong wind loads is primarily investigated in this study. A modeling method based on real 3D spatial information of the bridge structure, geological structure, and sculpture structure is proposed to accurately reflect their spatial relationships. Finite difference method is employed to analyze the impact of sculpture structure construction on pier deformations and ground settlement. The bridge structure exhibits small overall deformation, with maximum horizontal and vertical displacements of the piers located at the edge of the bent cap on the side of the critical neighboring bridge pier J24 adjacent to the sculpture. A fluid–solid coupling model of the interaction between the sculpture structure and wind loads with two different direction is established using computational fluid dynamics, and theoretical analysis and numerical calculations are conducted on the sculpture's anti-overturning performance. The internal force indicators such as displacement, stress, and moment of the sculpture structure in the flow field under two working conditions are studied, and comparative analysis of typical structures is conducted. It is shown that sculpture A and B have different unfavorable wind directions and specific internal force distributions and response patterns due to the influence of size effects. Under both working conditions, the sculpture structure remains safe and stable.