Investigation of the Effects of Vortex Isolation Plates with Different Opening Ratios and Sizes on Vortex-Induced Vibration

Round 1

Reviewer 1 Report

Authors focus on twin-box girders, which are favoured for long-span cable-bearing bridges due to their stability, but they can experience vortex-induced vibrations (VIVs) from the girder's slots. Presented article research involving wind tunnel tests showed that altering the opening ratio of the vortex isolation plates impacted the performance under heaving VIVs, with the opening size influencing the length of the lock-in region for torsional vibrations.

The introduction is quite well-written and covers the papers about twin-box girders. The aims and objectives of the study are clear and of practical significance.

The paper is based on an experimental study. The experimental stand and the research method look suitable for solving research problems related to the impact study of a vortex isolation plate on the performance under VIVs at different opening ratios, AOAs and opening numbers.

The main questions and recommendations to paper are next:

1.     Page 3, Line 98. The authors mentioned: “The model was suspended from the inner support using eight springs during the testing phase.” But what is the value of spring stiffness?

2.     In Fig. 6, the value points merge. It is difficult to recognize points H1 and H4. Try to improve the figure, for example, decrease the size of points.

3.     Please indicate the measurement error in the experiment.

4.     It would be good to refer to recent papers on the topic of VIV research that are close to your study. For example,

-          https://doi.org/10.1063/5.0165025

-          https://doi.org/10.1063/5.0169806

-          https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jweia.2024.105703 

To summarize, it should be noted that the study was carried out at a sufficiently high level. The results of the study do not cause doubts. The conclusions correspond to the content of the paper. The article can be accepted after a minor revision.

Author Response

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Reviewer 2 Report

This paper presents an experimental investigation of the effects of different opening ratios and opening sizes on torsional vibration and heave on a 1:70 segment model in wing tunnel. The effects of different vortex isolation plates on the intrinsic characteristics of VIVs were compared. 

Authors have selected the topic of an continuously interest to the readers for long time and still being contemporary. 

Significance of the content should be improved by introducing numerical part of the investigation of this problem with appropriate comparisons. Therefore, authors are kindly advised to include FSI (fluid-structure interaction) numerical analysis in this paper.

In this way, the quality of presentation is going to be improved together with scientific soundness. 

Author Response

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Reviewer 3 Report

Remarks:

1. The way of presenting the bibliographic references in the text and its correlation with the bibliography is a difficult one to follow, recommended using the IEEE type bibliography.

2. It would be useful if in Figure 2, there would be a small detail with the plate mounting area, to better outline the bridge profile. Now there are two independent areas that are not interconnected.

  3. Figure 7b. A letter "f" from "... Fluctuating press coeficient ...." is missing.

  4. Row 261, the sentence "... The following main consciousness are drawn: ..." it should be reformulated so that it does not seem like an enumeration that does not exist.

5. At the end of row 264 the punctuation mark is missing: "...under heaving 264 There is ...."

Author Response

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Round 2

Reviewer 2 Report

It is obvious that authors and reviewer share the view for the importance of including FSI analysis in this research and that it would be of significant value to have it as appropriate way for scientific approach in investigating of such a complex problem. With the experimental and numerical analysis result comparison the scientific soundness and conclusion supporting is going to be achieved within this investigation. 

Taking into account, that absence of FSI analysis in this research, could be interpreted as control missing in some experiments, authors idea to have this analysis as the future work may be acceptable.

However, authors are strongly suggested and advised to inform potential readers of the importance of the FSI analysis in this paper together with the plan to conduct FSI analysis in their future research.

Author Response

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