• Smart Structures and Systems
• /
• 제9권6호
• /
• pp.473-487
• /
• 2012

GPS has become an established technique in structural health monitoring. This paper presents the application of an on-line GPS RTK system on the Zhujiang Huangpu Bridge (China) for monitoring bridge deck and towers movements. In this study, both the form and functions of movements of the deck and towers of the bridge under affecting loads were monitored in lateral, longitudinal and vertical directions. Such movements were described in time and frequency domains by determining the trend, torsion, periodical of the series using probability density function (PDF). The results of the time series GPS data are practical and useful to bridge health monitoring.

• Structural Monitoring and Maintenance
• /
• 제1권4호
• /
• pp.371-392
• /
• 2014

Long-span cable-supported bridges are flexible structures vulnerable to unsymmetric loadings such as railway traffic and strong wind. The torsional dynamic response of long-span cable-supported bridges under running trains and/or strong winds may deform the railway track laid on the bridge deck and affect the running safety of trains and the comfort of passengers, and even lead the bridge to collapse. Therefore, it is eager to figure out the torsional dynamic response of long-span cable-supported bridges under running trains and/or strong winds. The Tsing Ma Bridge (TMB) in Hong Kong is a suspension bridge with a main span of 1,377 m, and is currently the world's longest suspension bridge carrying both road and rail traffic. Moreover, this bridge is located in one of the most active typhoon-prone regions in the world. A wind and structural health monitoring system (WASHMS) was installed on the TMB in 1997, and after 17 years of successful operation it is still working well as desired. Making use of one-year monitoring data acquired by the WASHMS, the torsional dynamic responses of the bridge deck under rail traffic and strong winds are analyzed. The monitoring results demonstrate that the differences of vertical displacement at the opposite edges and the corresponding rotations of the bridge deck are less than 60 mm and $0.1^{\circ}$ respectively under weak winds, and less than 300 mm and $0.6^{\circ}$ respectively under typhoons, implying that the torsional dynamic response of the bridge deck under rail traffic and wind loading is not significant due to the rational design.

• Structural Monitoring and Maintenance
• /
• 제1권1호
• /
• pp.47-67
• /
• 2014

This study has been motivated to examine the performance of a wireless sensor system under the typhoons as well as to analyze the effect of the typhoons on the bridge's vibration responses and the variation of cable forces. During the long-term field experiment on a real cable-stayed bridge in years 2011-2012, the bridge had experienced two consecutive typhoons, Bolaven and Tembin, and the wireless sensor system had recorded data of wind speeds and vibration responses from a few survived sensor nodes. In this paper, the wireless structural health monitoring of stay cables under the two consecutive typhoons is presented. Firstly, the wireless monitoring system for cable-stayed bridge is described. Multi-scale vibration sensor nodes are utilized to measure both acceleration and PZT dynamic strain from stay cables. Also, cable forces are estimated by a tension force monitoring software based on vibration properties. Secondly, the cable-stayed bridge with the wireless monitoring system is described and its wireless monitoring capacities for deck and cables are evaluated. Finally, the structural health monitoring of stay cables under the attack of the two typhoons is described. Wind-induced deck vibration, cable vibration and cable force variation are examined based on the field measurements in the cable-stayed bridge under the two consecutive typhoons.

• Wind and Structures
• /
• 제20권2호
• /
• pp.293-314
• /
• 2015

In this paper, wireless monitoring of typhoon-induced variation of dynamic characteristics of a cable-stayed bridge is presented. Firstly, cable-stayed bridge with the wireless monitoring system is described. Wireless vibration sensor nodes are utilized to measure accelerations from bridge deck and stay cables. Also, modal analysis methods are selected to extract dynamic characteristics. Secondly, dynamic responses of the cable-stayed bridge under the attack of two typhoons are analyzed by estimating relationships between wind velocity and dynamic characteristics. Wind-induced variations of deck and cable vibration responses are examined based on the field measurements under the two consecutive typhoons, Bolaven and Tembin. Finally, time-varying analyses are performed to investigate non-stationary random properties of the dynamic responses under the typhoons.

• Smart Structures and Systems
• /
• 제5권4호
• /
• pp.381-395
• /
• 2009

The paper presents a case study in which the structural condition assessment of the East Bay bridge in Gibsonton, Florida is evaluated with the help of remote health monitoring techniques. The bridge is a four-span, continuous, deck-type reinforced concrete structure supported on prestressed pile bents, and is instrumented with smart Fiber Optic Sensors. The sensors used for remote health monitoring are the newly emerged Fabry-Perot (FP), and are both surface-mounted and embedded in the deck. The sensing system can be accessed remotely through fast Digital Subscriber Lines (DSL), which permits the evaluation of the bridge behavior under live traffic loads. The bridge was open to traffic since March 2005, and the collected structural data have been continuously analyzed since. The data revealed an increase in strain readings, which suggests a progression in damage. Recent visual observations also indicated the presence of longitudinal cracks along the bridge length. After the formation of these cracks, the sensors readings were analyzed and used to extrapolate the values of the maximum stresses at the crack location. The data obtained were also compared to initial design values of the bridge under factored gravity and live loads. The study showed that the proposed structural health monitoring technique proved to provide an efficient mean for condition assessment of bridge structures providing it is implemented and analyzed with care.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
• /
• 제7권6호
• /
• pp.551-559
• /
• 1999

This paper presents some simple thinking on an age-old question that given a bridge of a certain span and loading, from the point of view of the structural efficiency, where should the bridge deck be positioned? Generally, this decision is made for other reasons than structural efficiency such as aesthetics and the analyst is often presented with a fait accompli. Using the recently invented Evolutional Structural Optimisation (ESO) method, it is possible to demonstrate that having the deck at different vertical locations can lead to a very different mass and shape for each structural form resembling cable-stayed and cable-truss bridges. By monitoring a performance index which is the function of stresses and volume of discretised finite elements, the best optimised structure can be easily determined and the bridge deck positioning problem can be efficiently solved without resorting to any complex analysis procedures.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
• /
• 제46권5호
• /
• pp.615-627
• /
• 2013

One of the most common defects in reinforced concrete bridge decks is corrosion of steel reinforcing bars. This invisible defect reduces the deck stiffness and affects the bridge's serviceability. Regular monitoring of the bridge is required to detect and control this type of damage and in turn, minimize repair costs. Because the corrosion is hidden within the deck, this type of damage cannot be easily detected by visual inspection and therefore, an alternative damage detection technique is required. This research develops a non-destructive method for detecting reinforcing bar corrosion. Experimental modal analysis, as a non-destructive testing technique, and finite element (FE) model updating are used in this method. The location and size of corrosion in the reinforcing bars is predicted by creating a finite element model of bridge deck and updating the model characteristics to match the experimental results. The practicality and applicability of the proposed method were evaluated by applying the new technique to a two spans bridge for monitoring steel bar corrosion. It was shown that the proposed method can predict the location and size of reinforcing bars corrosion with reasonable accuracy.

• Structural Monitoring and Maintenance
• /
• 제10권3호
• /
• pp.191-205
• /
• 2023

In this paper, through operational modal analysis and ambient vibration tests, the dynamic characteristics of a multi-span simply-supported reinforced concrete highway bridge deck was determined and the results were used to assess the quality of construction of the individual spans. Supporting finite element (FE) models were created and analyzed according to the design drawings. After carrying out the dynamic tests and extracting the modal properties of the deck, the quality of construction was relatively assessed by comparing the results obtained from all the tests from the individual spans and the FE results. A comparison of the test results among the different spans showed a maximum difference value of around 9.3 percent between the superstructure's natural frequencies. These minor differences besides the obtained values of modal damping ratios, in which the differences were not more than 5 percent, can be resulted from suitable performance, health, and acceptable construction quality of the bridge.

• Structural Monitoring and Maintenance
• /
• 제3권3호
• /
• pp.277-296
• /
• 2016

There is a need for rapid and objective assessment of concrete bridge decks for maintenance decision making. Infrared Thermography (IRT) has great potential to identify deck delaminations more objectively than routine visual inspections or chain drag tests. In addition, it is possible to collect reliable data rapidly with appropriate IRT cameras attached to vehicles and the data are analyzed effectively. This research compares three infrared cameras with different specifications at different times and speeds for data collection, and explores several factors affecting the utilization of IRT in regards to subsurface damage detection in concrete structures, specifically when the IRT is utilized for high-speed bridge deck inspection at normal driving speeds. These results show that IRT can detect up to 2.54 cm delamination from the concrete surface at any time period. It is observed that nighttime would be the most suitable time frame with less false detections and interferences from the sunlight and less adverse effect due to direct sunlight, making more "noise" for the IRT results. This study also revealed two important factors of camera specifications for high-speed inspection by IRT as shorter integration time and higher pixel resolution.

• Computers and Concrete
• /
• 제16권1호
• /
• pp.49-65
• /
• 2015

It is hard to guarantee the strict synchronization of all the jacking-up points in the integral jacking of a large-span continuous box girder bridge. This paper took the Hengliaojing Bridge as background, which need jacking up as an object with 295m length and more than 10,000tons weight, adopted 3D software to calculate the unsynchronized jacking-up working conditions, and studied the relationships between the unsynchronized vertical difference and the girder's deformation behaviour. The aim is to verify the maximum value of the unsynchronized vertical difference, and guide the construction and ensure safety. The monitoring system with its contents is introduced corresponding to the analysis. The results of the deck relative elevations prove that it is difficult to avoid the deck torsional deformation for jacking different; especially the side span shows more deformations for its smaller stiffness. The maximum difference is smaller than the limited value with acceptable stresses in the sections. The jacking heights of the pier in each construction step are controlled regularly according to the design. The shifting of the whole bridge in longitudinal direction is smaller than in transverse direction. The several beginning steps are the key to adjust their support reactions. This study is one parts of the fundamental research for the code "Technical specification for bridge jacking-up and reposition of China". The whole synchronous jacking project of the main bridge set a world record by the World Record Association for the whole bridge jacking project with the longest span of the world.