PSI - Issue 84

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ScienceDirect

Procedia Structural Integrity 84 (2026) 1055–1062

III Fabre Conference: Existing Bridges, Viaducts, and Tunnels: Research, Innovation, and Applications Flutter mitigation in long-span bridges through gyroscopic

stabilizers: experimental results Gian Felice Giaccu a, *, Luca Caracoglia b a Department of Architecture, Design and Urban Planning, University of Sassari, Alghero, Italy b Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Northeastern University, Boston, MA 02115, USA

© 2026 The Authors. Published by ELSEVIER B.V. This is an open access article under the CC BY-NC-ND license (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0) Peer-review under responsibility of the scientific committee of the Conference Keywords: Long-span bridges; Flutter instability; Gyroscopic stabilization; Aeroelastic control; Dynamic response mitigation. Abstract In recent decades, the development of long-span cable-supported bridges has achieved significant milestones, as demonstrated by some of the world’s most remarkable structures, including the Çanakkale 1915 Bridge ( ℓ = 2023 m) and the Xihoumen Suspension Bridge ( ℓ = 1650 m). However, extending span lengths beyond 2000 m introduces new challenges related to aeroelastic stability, particularly concerning the flutter risk. The current design solutions, including advanced aerodynamic configurations and the use of passive dampers or active control systems, are plausibly insufficient to ensure the structural safety of bridges with spans exceeding 2 km. This remark highlights the need for an innovative approach, based on the implementation of dynamic control systems, which appears to be the only viable path to guarantee the aeroelastic stability of the next-generation long-span suspension bridges. The present study shows that integrating a gyroscopic stabilizer within the deck can provide significant benefits by enhancing the aeroelastic stability of long-span bridges, and increasing the critical wind speed associated with flutter instability. The experimental results demonstrate the effectiveness of the device, despite its simple operating mechanism.

* Corresponding author. E-mail address: gf.giaccu@uniss.it

2452-3216 © 2026 The Authors. Published by ELSEVIER B.V. This is an open access article under the CC BY-NC-ND license (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0) Peer-review under responsibility of the scientific committee of the Conference 10.1016/j.prostr.2026.06.135