Stonecutters Bridge, Hong Kong: wind tunnel tests and studies

The wind climate in Hong Kong is generally mild, but occasionally the region is hit by very strong winds in the form of typhoons developing in the South China Sea. The uncertainty associated with the strength, direction and landfall of these typhoons has led to the development of a design code dictating very high wind speeds that Stonecutters Bridge must be able to withstand; but the frequent low wind speed situations in Hong Kong also have implications for the aerodynamics and thus the daily service of the bridge. This paper describes the aerodynamic studies and model tests carried out to ensure that the bridge design is safe considering all wind conditions at the bridge site.