• Structural Monitoring and Maintenance
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• v.7 no.4
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• pp.319-344
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• 2020

Inverse analysis of non-linear reinforced concrete bridge pier using recursive Gaussian filtering for in-situ condition assessment is the main theme of this work. For this purpose, minimum variance unbiased estimation using unscented sigma points is adopted here. The uniqueness of this inverse analysis lies in its approach for strain based updating of engineering demand parameters, where appropriate bound and constrained conditions are introduced to ensure numerical stability and convergence. In this analysis, seismic input is also identified, which is an added advantage for the structures having no dedicated sensors for earthquake measurement. First, the proposed strategy is tested with a simulated example whose hysteretic properties are obtained from the slow-cyclic test of a frame to investigate its efficiency and accuracy. Finally, the experimental test data of a full-scale bridge pier is used to study its in-situ condition in terms of Park & Ang damage index. Overall the study shows the ability of the augmented minimum variance unbiased estimation based recursive time-marching algorithm for non-linear system identification with the aim to estimate the engineering damage parameters that are the fundamental information necessary for any future decision making for retrofitting/rehabilitation.

• Journal of the Korean Institute of Traditional Landscape Architecture
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• v.28 no.3
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• pp.105-113
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• 2010

This study is for the preservation plan of the tradition space which is performed by the damage status analysis through performing the value assessment. Especially, it is an experimental study for finding the process and methods by analyzing the major element for the value assessment of the selected object's damage status through the expert group who are systematized in their interest to conserve the traditional structure in traditional space. For that purpose, this study should be performed by the fundamental understanding of the physical property of the Supyo-bridge and the condition of the selected site's environment. Meanwhile, this study has been done that 'map of the damage status distribution' for making records of damage status of the Supyo-bridge on the property utilized field measurement adapted by photogrammetry and assessment guidelines, which are for investigation on damage status of objects that are standardized 'Raccomandazioni Normal' which could be said construction culture assets management guidelines of Italian government. As the result of investigation, damage status of each part in the Supyo-bridge was mostly composed of damage by sediment and corrosion and in case of 9 damage types including corrosion, in consideration of physical and chemical properties and distribution status of those elements, it is made an judgement that is not working as a threatened factor regarding security of the Supyo-bridge. On the contrary, for the improvement landscape, in case of 'Thermoclastism' phenomenon observed in 'upper floor', 'Myungae stone' and 'bridge pier' is that when taking it into consideration that is widely distributed concentrated on the bridge pier, surface reinforcement job along with elimination of damage part will be judged to be requested for earliest treatment.

• Smart Structures and Systems
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• v.20 no.5
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• pp.549-562
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• 2017

The US railroad network carries 40% of the nation's total freight. Railroad bridges are the most critical part of the network infrastructure and, therefore, must be properly maintained for the operational safety. Railroad managers inspect bridges by measuring displacements under train crossing events to assess their structural condition and prioritize bridge management and safety decisions accordingly. The displacement of a railroad bridge under train crossings is one parameter of interest to railroad bridge owners, as it quantifies a bridge's ability to perform safely and addresses its serviceability. Railroad bridges with poor track conditions will have amplified displacements under heavy loads due to impacts between the wheels and rail joints. Under these circumstances, vehicle-track-bridge interactions could cause excessive bridge displacements, and hence, unsafe train crossings. If displacements during train crossings could be measured objectively, owners could repair or replace less safe bridges first. However, data on bridge displacements is difficult to collect in the field as a fixed point of reference is required for measurement. Accelerations can be used to estimate dynamic displacements, but to date, the pseudo-static displacements cannot be measured using reference-free sensors. This study proposes a method to estimate total transverse displacements of a railroad bridge under live train loads using acceleration and tilt data at the top of the exterior pile bent of a standard timber trestle, where train derailment due to excessive lateral movement is the main concern. Researchers used real bridge transverse displacement data under train traffic from varying bridge serviceability levels. This study explores the design of a new bridge deck-pier experimental model that simulates the vibrations of railroad bridges under traffic using a shake table for the input of train crossing data collected from the field into a laboratory model of a standard timber railroad pile bent. Reference-free sensors measured both the inclination angle and accelerations of the pile cap. Various readings are used to estimate the total displacements of the bridge using data filtering. The estimated displacements are then compared to the true responses of the model measured with displacement sensors. An average peak error of 10% and a root mean square error average of 5% resulted, concluding that this method can cost-effectively measure the total displacement of railroad bridges without a fixed reference.