Experimental study on wind-induced response on a 45 m span double-layer cable-supported photovoltaic structure with arrays

Cable-supported photovoltaic (PV) structures are highly susceptible to wind-induced vibrations because of their low frequency and lightweight. To investigate the wind effect of a 45m-span double-layer cable-supported PV array structure in an atmospheric boundary layer, wind tunnel tests on a 1:20 scale aeroelastic model were conducted to measure wind-induced responses. The influences of tilt angle, wind direction, and wind speed on the wind-induced response of cable-supported PV structure are examined. The test results indicate that the wind-induced response under negative angle of attack (AOA) is significantly greater than those under positive AOA. When subjected to negative AOA, the structure is more likely to be instability. Under positive AOA, a significant shielding effect is observed. The maximum value of shielding ratio for tilt angles of 10° and 20° are 21.28 % and 51.18 %, respectively. The proposed wind vibration coefficient is 2.1, which can be used to calculate the equivalent static wind load of the double-layer cable-supported PV structure in structural design.