Numerical assessment of the initial pre-tension impact on wind-induced vibration in flexible cable-supported photovoltaic systems

In solar power technology, flexible cable-supported photovoltaic (PV) systems (FCSPSs) offer an alternative to traditional ground-mounted supports due to their lightweight design, long spans, and resilience. Its adaptability proves invaluable in challenging terrains such as mountains, fish ponds, and sewage treatment plants. The wind-induced vibration coefficient is crucial for determining the system's vibrational response under different wind conditions. With significant wind deformation in FCSPSs, a fluid-structure interaction (FSI) analysis is essential. This study uses two-way FSI Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) simulations to examine the effect of steel cable pre-tension on wind-induced vibration in FCSPSs. Firstly, the modal analysis cases of an FCSPS are conducted by varying the initial tension forces of the steel cables. Subsequently, the transient response of the cable-support structure and the wind field variation in the fluid domain under wind load are evaluated. Finally, a quantitative evaluation of the wind-induced vibration coefficient for displacement and support reaction in the FCSPS is performed. The results indicate that increasing pre-tension reduces the natural period and reaction force's vibration coefficient but increases the displacement vibration coefficient. The results provide valuable insights into optimizing pre-tension to minimize wind-induced vibrations and enhance the overall stability and efficiency of FCSPSs.