• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.75 no.2
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• pp.271-282
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• 2020

The preservation of historic masonry-arch railway bridges is of paramount importance due to their economic benefits. These bridges which belong to past centuries may nowadays be expected to carry loads higher than those for which they were designed. Such an increase in loads may be because of increase in transportation speed or in the capacity of freight-wagons. Anyway, adequate increase in their load-carrying-capacity through structural-strengthening is required. Moreover, the increasing costs of material/construction urge engineers to optimize their designs to obtain the minimum-cost one. This paper proposes a novel numerical optimization method to minimize the costs associated with strengthening of masonry-arch railway bridges. To do so, the stress/displacement responses of Sahand-Goltappeh bridge are assessed under ordinary train pass as a case study. For this aim, 3D-Finite-Element-Model is created and calibrated using experimental test results. Then, it is strengthened such that following goals are achieved simultaneously: (1) the load-carrying-capacity of the bridge is increased; (2) the structural response of the bridge is reduced to a certain limit; and, (3) the costs needed for such strengthening are minimized as far as possible. The results of the case study demonstrate the applicability/superiority of the proposed approach. Some economic measures are also recommended to further reduce the total strengthening cost.

• Journal of the Computational Structural Engineering Institute of Korea
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• v.15 no.3
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• pp.409-420
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• 2002

This paper proposed a technique of structural re-analysis for the evaluation of dynamic responses of bridge structure under moving loads using experimental modal results. For successful structural re-analysis, it is required to have accurate estimation techniques of the modal characteristics of bridge structures. The natural frequencies and mode shapes were identified by direct fourier analysis techniques and damping ratios by the random decrement method, respectively. An interpolation method was also proposed for the extension of mode shape measured on limited DOFs. Second, the structural reanalysis was performed using moving mass model and identified modal parameters. The results from the reanalysis show that the proposed technique is very reasonable to evaluate the actual behavior of bridge structures under moving loads.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.51 no.5
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• pp.847-866
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• 2014

This paper describes a formulation to predict optimum post-tensioning forces and cable dimensioning for self-anchored cable-stayed suspension bridges. The analysis is developed with respect to both dead and live load configurations, taking into account design constrains concerning serviceability and ultimate limit states. In particular, under dead loads, the analysis is developed with the purpose to calculate the post-tensioning cable forces to achieve minimum deflections for both girder and pylons. Moreover, under live loads, for each cable elements, the lowest required cross-section area is determined, which verifies prescriptions, under ultimate or serviceability limit states, on maximum allowable stresses and bridge deflections. The final configuration is obtained by means of an iterative procedure, which leads to a progressive definition of the stay, hanger and main cable characteristics, concerning both post-tensioning cable stresses and cross-sections. The design procedure is developed in the framework of a FE modeling, by using a refined formulation of the bridge components, taking into account of geometric nonlinearities involved in the bridge components. The results demonstrate that the proposed method can be easily utilized to predict the cable dimensioning also in the framework of long span bridge structures, in which typically more complexities are expected in view of the large number of variables involved in the design analysis.

• KSCE Journal of Civil and Environmental Engineering Research
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• v.39 no.4
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• pp.469-475
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• 2019

A long-term bridge monitoring system has been introduced and is under operation for long-term safety management of the structure. However, it is difficult to assess the condition of the quantitative structural system as it only measures responses and does not measure input loads. To overcome these shortcomings, FBG (Fiber Bragg Grating)-based input load measurement sensors were developed in this paper for measuring highway bridge input loads and their validity was verified through laboratory tests.

• Journal of the Korea institute for structural maintenance and inspection
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• v.11 no.5
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• pp.107-113
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• 2007

This study presents fragility curves for the wind fragility analysis of a six-span extradosed bridge. The loads and corresponding load combinations are calculated using domestic design codes. Random variables are utilized to considering the uncertainties of the input variables for wind loads. The fragility curve is represented as a log-normal distribution function, in which two parameters are estimated by the maximum likelihood method. The results show that the extradosed bridge is safe to suffer static wind forces.

• Wind and Structures
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• v.19 no.2
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• pp.145-167
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• 2014

Wind-vehicle-bridge (WVB) interaction can be regarded as a coupled vibration system. Aerodynamic forces and moment on vehicles and bridge decks play an important role in the vibration analysis of the coupled WVB system. High-speed vehicle motion has certain effects on the aerodynamic characteristics of a vehicle-bridge system under crosswinds, but it is not taken into account in most previous studies. In this study, a new testing system with a moving vehicle model was developed to directly measure the aerodynamic forces and moment on the vehicle and bridge deck when the vehicle model moved on the bridge deck under crosswinds in a large wind tunnel. The testing system, with a total length of 18.0 m, consisted of three main parts: vehicle-bridge model system, motion system and signal measuring system. The wind speed, vehicle speed, test objects and relative position of the vehicle to the bridge deck could be easily altered for different test cases. The aerodynamic forces and moment on the moving vehicle and bridge deck were measured utilizing the new testing system. The effects of the vehicle speed, wind yaw angle, rail track position and vehicle type on the aerodynamic characteristics of the vehicle and bridge deck were investigated. In addition, a data processing method was proposed according to the characteristics of the dynamic testing signals to determine the variations of aerodynamic forces and moment on the moving vehicle and bridge deck. Three-car and single-car models were employed as the moving rail vehicle model and road vehicle model, respectively. The results indicate that the drag and lift coefficients of the vehicle tend to increase with the increase of the vehicle speed and the decrease of the resultant wind yaw angle and that the vehicle speed has more significant effect on the aerodynamic coefficients of the single-car model than on those of the three-car model. This study also reveals that the aerodynamic coefficients of the vehicle and bridge deck are strongly influenced by the rail track positions, while the aerodynamic coefficients of the bridge deck are insensitive to the vehicle speed or resultant wind yaw angle.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.39 no.4
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• pp.521-539
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• 2011

Jilin highway concrete bridge is located in the center of Jilin City, which is positioned in the middle part in Jilin Province in the east north of China. This bridge crosses the Songhua River and connects the north and the south of Jilin City. The main purpose of damages inspection of the bridge components is to ensure the safety of a bridge and to identify any maintenance, repair, or strengthening which that need to be carried out. The damages that occur in reinforced concrete bridges include different types of cracks, scalling and spalling of concrete, corrosion of steel reinforcement, deformation, excessive deflection, and stain. The main objectives of this study are to inspect the appearance of Jilin highway concrete bridge and describe all the damages in the bridge structural members, and to evaluate the structural performance of the bridge structure under dead and live loads. The tests adopted in this study are: (a) the depth of concrete carbonation test, (b) compressive strength of concrete test, (c) corrosion of steel test, (d) static load test, and (e) dynamic load test. According to the damages inspection of the bridge structure appearance, most components of the bridge are in good conditions with the exception arch waves, spandrel arch, deck pavement of new arch bridge, and corbel of simply supported bridge which suffer from serious damages. Load tests results show that the deflection, strain, and cracks development satisfy the requirements of the standards.

• Proceedings of the KSR Conference
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• 2011.10a
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• pp.1555-1561
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• 2011

The dynamic behavior of a bridge under moving loads has been investigated over many years. Especially, with the introduction of High Speed Railway, numerous theoretical studies on the interaction problem between bridges and trains are carried out. In the present study, advanced bridge/train interaction analyses are performed and compared with field tests of a simply-supported 40m long PSC box girder bridge of Kyung-Bu High Speed Railway. Vertical displacements and vertical accelerations of a bridge with increasing speeds are analyzed. In addition, wheel load reduction rates and accelerations of a car-body of the train are investigated for a study of appropriateness of traffic safety criteria of bridge design specification.

• Interaction and multiscale mechanics
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• v.5 no.3
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• pp.169-185
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• 2012

The concrete bridge is likely to produce fatigue cracks during long period of service due to the moving vehicular loads and the degeneration of materials. This paper deals with the time-frequency analysis of a coupled bridge-vehicle system. The bridge is modeled as an Euler beam with breathing cracks. The vehicle is represented by a two-axle vehicle model. The equation of motion of the coupled bridge-vehicle system is established using the finite element method, and the Newmark direct integration method is adopted to calculate the dynamic responses of the system. The effect of breathing cracks on the dynamic responses of the bridge is investigated. The time-frequency characteristics of the responses are analyzed using both the Hilbert-Huang transform and wavelet transform. The results of time-frequency analysis indicate that complicated non-linear and non-stationary features will appear due to the breathing effect of the cracks.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society For Composite Materials Conference
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• 2001.05a
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• pp.141-146
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• 2001

A post-tensioned steel plate girder bridge with cross-beams is analyzed by specially orthotropic laminate theory. The cross-sections of both girders and cross-beams are WF types. The result is compared with that of the beam theory. This bridge with simple support is under uniformly distributed vertical load, and axial loads and moment due to post-tension. In this paper, finite difference method for numerical analysis of simple supported bridge is developed. Relatively exact solution is obtained even with small number of meshes. Theory and analysis method of specially orthotropic laminate plates used in this paper can be used in design of new bridges, and maintenance and repair of old bridges.