• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.56 no.6
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• pp.939-957
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• 2015

In this paper, a new approach based on the continuum model is proposed to estimate the main cable tension force of suspension bridges from measured natural frequencies. This approach considered the vertical vibration of a main cable hinged at both towers and supported by an elastic girder and hangers along its entire length. The equation reflected the relationship between vibration frequency and horizontal tension force of a main cable was derived. To avoid to generate the additional cable tension force by sag-extensibility, the analytical solution of characteristic equation for anti-symmetrical vibration mode of the main cable was calculated. Then, the estimation of main cable tension force was carried out by anti-symmetric characteristic frequency vector. The errors of estimation due to characteristic frequency deviations were investigated through numerical analysis of the main cable of Taizhou Bridge. A field experiment was conducted to verify the proposed approach. Through measuring and analyzing the responses of a main cable of Taizhou Bridge under ambient excitation, the horizontal tension force of the main cable was identified from the first three odd frequencies. It is shown that the estimated results agree well with the designed values. The proposed approach can be used to conduct the long-term health monitoring of suspension bridges.

• KSCE Journal of Civil and Environmental Engineering Research
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• v.4 no.1
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• pp.69-77
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• 1984

In this paper, the governing differential equations for the free vibration of uniform parabolic arches are derived on the basis of equilibrium equations of a small element of arch rib and the D'Alembert principle. A trial eigen value method is used for determining the natural frequencies and mode shapes. And the Runge-Kutta fourth order integration technique is also used in this method to perform the integration of the differential equations. A detailed study is made of the first mode for the symmetrical and anti-symmetrical vibrations of hinged arches with the Span length equal to 10 m. The effects of the rise of arch, the radius of gyration and the rotary inertia on free vibrations are presented in detail in curves and table.

• Computers and Concrete
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• v.10 no.3
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• pp.277-294
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• 2012

The aim of the study is to determine the modal parameters of a prototype damaged arch dam by operational modal analysis (OMA) method for some damage scenarios. For this purpose, a prototype arch dam-reservoir-foundation model is constructed under laboratory conditions. Ambient vibration tests on the arch dam model are performed to identify the modal parameters such as natural frequency, mode shape and damping ratio. The tests are conducted for four test-case scenarios: an undamaged dam with empty reservoir, two different damaged dams with empty reservoirs, and a damaged dam with full reservoir. Loading simulating random impact effects is applied on the dam to crack. Cracks and fractures occurred at the middle of the upper part of the dams and distributed through the abutments. Sensitivity accelerometers are placed on the dams' crests to collect signals for measurements. Operational modal analysis software processes the signals collected from the ambient vibration tests, and enhanced frequency domain decomposition and stochastic subspace identification techniques are used to estimate modal parameters of the dams. The modal parameters are obtained to establish a basis for comparison of the results of two techniques for each damage case. Results show that approximately 35-40% difference exists between the natural frequencies obtained from Case 1 and Case 4. The natural frequencies of the dam considerably decrease with increasing cracks. However, observation shows that the filled reservoir slightly affected modal parameters of the dam after severe cracking. The mode shapes obtained are symmetrical and anti-symmetrical. Apparently, mode shapes in Case 1 represent the probable responses of arch dams more accurately. Also, damping ratio show an increase when cracking increases.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Fisheries and Ocean Technology
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• v.40 no.4
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• pp.351-359
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• 2004

Aluminum honeycomb sandwich panel (AHSP) not only have high flexural rigidity and strength per density but also excellence in anti-vibration and anti-noise properties. Their properties are very useful for build airplane and high speed crafts, which need lighter-weighted and more strengthed element. Recently, the AHSP is regarded as a promising strength member of light structures like the hull of high speed crafts. Generally, the core shape of aluminum sandwich panel (ASP) is the hexagonal shape of honeycomb. But, in this paper, authors proposed the ASP with pyramid core, as the ASP model of new type, and analysed the structural and vibrational characteristics for aluminum pyramid sandwich panel (APSP) as this new ASP type, according to the thickness variation of core and face, the height variation of core. The applied sandwich models have isotropic and symmetrical aluminum faces and pyramid cores. And, the applied boundary conditions are simple, fixed and free support.

• Wind and Structures
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• v.14 no.3
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• pp.187-208
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• 2011

Based on the ANSYS, an approach of full-mode aerodynamic flutter analysis for long-span suspension bridges has been presented in this paper, in which the nonlinearities of structure, aerostatic and aerodynamic force due to the deformation under the static wind loading are fully considered. Aerostatic analysis is conducted to predict the equilibrium position of a bridge structure in the beginning, and then flutter analysis of such a deformed bridge structure is performed. A corresponding computer program is developed and used to predict the critical flutter wind velocity and the corresponding flutter frequency of a long-span suspension bridge with double main span. A time-domain analysis of the bridge is also carried out to verify the frequency-domain computational results and the effectiveness of the approach proposed in this paper. Then, the nonlinear effects on aerodynamic behaviors due to aerostatic action are discussed in detail. Finally, the results are compared with those of traditional suspension bridges with single main span. The results show that the aerostatic action has an important influence on the flutter stability of long-span suspension bridges. As for a suspension bridge with double main spans, the flutter mode is the first anti-symmetrical torsional vibration mode, which is also the first torsional vibration mode in natural mode list. Furthermore, a double main-span suspension bridge is better in structural dynamic and aerodynamic performances than a corresponding single main-span structure with the same bridging capacity.