• 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.

• Wind and Structures
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• v.4 no.1
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• pp.1-18
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• 2001

The classical two-degree-of-freedom (2-d-o-f) "sectional model" is currently used to study the dynamics of suspension bridges. Taking into account the first pair of vertical and torsional modes of the bridge, it describes well global oscillations caused by wind actions on the deck and yields very useful information on the overall behaviour and the aerodynamic and aeroelastic response, but does not consider relative oscillation between main cables and deck. The possibility of taking into account these relative oscillations, that can become significant for very long span bridges, is the main purpose of the 4-d-o-f model, proposed by the Authors in previous papers and fully developed here. Longitudinal deformability of the hangers (assumed linear elastic in tension and unable to react in compression) and external loading on the cables are taken into account: thus not only global oscillations, but also relative oscillations between cables and deck can be described. When the hangers go slack, large nonlinear oscillations are possible; if the hangers remain taut, the oscillations are small and essentially linear. This paper describes the model proposed for small and large oscillations, and investigates in detail the limit condition for linear response under harmonic actions on the cables (e.g., like those that could be generated by vortex shedding). These results are sufficient to state that, with geometric and mechanical parameters in a range corresponding to realistic cases of large span suspension bridges, large relative oscillations between main cables and deck cannot be excluded, and therefore should not be neglected in the design. Forthcoming papers will investigate more general cases of loading and dynamic response of the model.

• Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
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• v.9 no.1
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• pp.136-142
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• 2008

Recently, cabled-suspension bridges and suspension bridge have been increasingly built in korea. But such structures were often damaged by fire due to car collison. In this study, the cabled-suspension bridges constructed under the kind of the project of national road aggrandizement are modeled using Solid Works 2007. The COSMOS FloWorks 2007 software are used for Heat Transfer Analysis and Thermal Stress Analysis. The safety of wire, HDPE pipe and stainless steel pipe are investigated. The major variables for the analysis are the temperature of the heat source, the distance between the fire-proof bulk head and the heat source, wind velocity, and the height of the end of Stainless steel pipe.

• 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.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.70 no.3
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• pp.311-324
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• 2019

Long-span steel suspension bridges develop significant vibrations under the effect of external time-variable loadings because their slenderness. This causes significant stresses variations that could induce fatigue problems in critical components of the bridge. The research outcome presented in this paper includes a fatigue analysis of a long suspension bridge with 3300 meters central suspended span under wind action and train transit. Special focus is made on the counterintuitive interaction effects between train and wind loads in terms of fatigue damage accumulation in the hanger ropes. In fact the coupling of the two actions is shown to have positive effects for some hangers in terms of damage accumulation. Fatigue damage is evaluated using a linear accumulation model (Palmgren-Miner rule), analyses are carried out in time domain by a three-dimensional non-linear finite element model of the bridge. Rational explanation regarding the above-mentioned counterintuitive behavior is given on the basis of the stress time histories obtained for pertinent hangers under the effects of wind and train as acting separately or simultaneously. The interaction between wind and train traffic loads can be critical for a some hanger ropes therefore interaction phenomena within loads should be considered in the design.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.87 no.3
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• pp.255-272
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• 2023

Spatial cable systems can provide more transverse stiffness and torsional stiffness without sacrificing the vertical bearing capacity compared with conventional vertical cable systems, which is quite lucrative for long-span earth-anchored suspension bridges' development. Higher economy highlights the importance of refined form-finding analysis. Meanwhile, the internal connection between the lateral and vertical sags has not yet been specified. Given this, an analytic algorithm of form-finding for the earth-anchored suspension bridge with spatial cables is proposed in this paper. Through the geometric compatibility condition and mechanical equilibrium condition, the expressions for cable segment, the recurrence relationship between catenary parameters and control equations of spatial cable are established. Additionally, the nonlinear general reduced gradient method is introduced into fast and high-precision numerical analysis. Furthermore, the analytic expression of the lateral and vertical sags is deduced and discussed. This is very significant for the space design above the bridge deck and the optimization of the sag-to-span ratio in the preliminary design stage of the bridge. Finally, the proposed method is verified with the aid of two examples, one being an operational self-anchored suspension bridge (with spatial cables and a 260 m main span), and the other being an earth-anchored suspension bridge under design (with spatial cables and a 500 m main span). The necessity of an iterative calculation for hanger tensions on earth-anchored suspension bridges is confirmed. It is further concluded that the main cable and their connected hangers are in very close inclined planes.

• Journal of the Earthquake Engineering Society of Korea
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• v.18 no.6
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• pp.301-308
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• 2014

A suspension bridge is a type of bridge in which the beam is suspended by load-bearing cables. There are two classifications: the self-anchored suspension bridge has the main cable anchored to the bridge girders, and the earth-anchored suspension bridge has the main cable anchored to a large anchorage. Although a suspension bridge is structurally safe, it is prone to be damaged by various actions such as hurricanes, tsunamis and terrorist incidents because its cables are exposed. If damage to a cable eventually leads to the cable rupture, the bridge may collapse. To avoid these accidents, studies on the dynamic behavior of cable bridges due to the cable rupture have been carried out. Design codes specify that the calculated DAF (dynamic amplification factor) should not exceed a certain value. However, it has been difficult to determine DAFs effectively from dynamic analysis, and thus no systematic approach has been suggested. The current study provides a guideline to determine DAFs reliably from the dynamic analysis results and summarizes the results by applying the method to an earth-anchored suspension bridge. In the study, DAFs were calculated at the location of four structural parts, girders, pylons, main cable and hangers, with variations in the rupture time.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.8 no.5
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• pp.453-464
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• 1999

Safety monitoring systems of structures generally resort to detecting possible changes of dynamic system parameters. Sensitivity analysis of these dynamic system parameters may implement these techniques. Conventional structural eigenvalue problems are discussed in the scope of those systems with deterministic parameters. Large and flexible structures, such as suspension bridges, actually possess stochastic material properties and these random properties unavoidably affect the dynamic system parameters. The sensitivity matrix of structural modal parameters to basic design variables has been established in this paper. Moreover, second order statistics of natural frequencies due to the randomness of material properties have been discussed. It is concluded from numerical analysis of a modem suspension bridge that although the second order statistics of frequencies are small relatively to the change of basic design variables, such as density of mass and modulus of elasticity, the sensitivities of modal parameters to these variables at different locations change in magnitude.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Safety
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• v.24 no.2
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• pp.62-68
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• 2009

Life Cycle Cost(LCC) is adopted to decide the target of safety level in designing suspension bridges. The LCC are evaluated considering two types of uncertainty; aleatory and epistemic. The nine alternative designs of suspension bridge are simulated to decide the safety level which can minimize the LCC. The LCC is calculated through the probability of failure and safety index including the uncertainty. This method results in the useful tool deciding the optimum safety level with minimal LCC as the main design factor.

• Journal of the Korean Society for Advanced Composite Structures
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• v.6 no.4
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• pp.24-29
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• 2015

Bridge construction cost estimates have generally been conducted by using historial unit-price(per meter or square meter). The traditional estimating method based on unit-price references can never completely reflect the specialty of cable supported bridge. In this paper, we have developed the system for supporting the approximate construction cost and the quantity estimation based on 3D model information in the pre-project planning phase of 3-span continuous suspension bridge with 2-pylons. First of all, we'd analyzed the design information (such as structural design report, blueprint and quantity) and the real cost data from the existing suspension bridges and derived the design variables of the bridges. We developed the BIM wizard that generates a suspension bridge model parametrically based on derived design variables. The principle material quantities of suspension bridge are calculated directly from 3-dimensional bridge model built by using the BIM wizard. We have established the system that the construction cost can be estimated more specific than the traditional estimating method.