Damage Identification on the Tilff Bridge by Vibration Monitoring Using Optical Fiber Strain Sensors

Vibration testing is a well-known practice for damage identification of civil engineering structures. The real modal parameters of a structure can be determined from the data obtained by tests using system identification methods. By comparing these measured modal parameters with the modal parameters of a numerical model of the same structure in undamaged condition, damage detection, localization, and quantification is possible. This paper presents a real-life application of this technique to assess the structural health of the 50-year old Tilff Bridge, a prestressed 3-cell box-girder concrete bridge with variable height. A complete ambient vibration survey comprising both vertical accelerations and axial strains has been carried out. The in situ use of optical fiber strain sensors for the direct measurement of modal strains is an original contribution of this work. It represents a big step forward in the exploration of modal curvatures for damage identification because the accuracy in calculating the modal curvatures is substantially improved by directly measuring modal strains rather than deriving the modal curvatures from acceleration measurements. From the ambient vibrations, natural frequencies, damping factors, modal displacements, and modal curvatures are extracted by the stochastic subspace identification method. These modal parameters are used for damage identification which is performed by the updating of a finite element model of the intact structure. The obtained results are then compared to the inspections performed on the bridge.

• Availability:
  • Find a library where document is available. Order URL: http://worldcat.org/issn/07339399
• Supplemental Notes:
  • Abstract reprinted with permission from ASCE
• Authors:
  • Reynders, Edwin
  • De Roeck, Guido
  • Bakir, Pelin Gundes
  • Sauvage, Claude
• Publication Date: 2007-2

Language

• English

Media Info

• Media Type: Print
• Features: Figures; References; Tables;
• Pagination: pp 185-193
• Serial:
  • Journal of Engineering Mechanics
  • Volume: 133
  • Issue Number: 2
  • Publisher: American Society of Civil Engineers
  • ISSN: 0733-9399
  • EISSN: 1943-7889
  • Serial URL: http://ascelibrary.org/journal/jenmdt

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Box girder bridges; Bridge engineering; Mathematical models; Modal analysis; Monitoring; Structural deterioration and defects; Structural mechanics; Vibration
• Identifier Terms: Tilff Bridge
• Uncontrolled Terms: Damage detection
• Subject Areas: Bridges and other structures; Design; Highways; I24: Design of Bridges and Retaining Walls;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 01045045
• Record Type: Publication
• Files: TRIS
• Created Date: Mar 21 2007 12:53PM