Results from field testing A curved box girder bridge using simulated earthquake loads

Abstract

AbstractThis paper presents the results of a unique field test on a curved highway overpass. In the test, large horizontal loads were applied to the superstructure of the bridge and quickly released, causing the bridge to vibrate. The resulting large‐amplitude vibrations were intended to be similar to the vibrations caused by earthquakes (horizontal accelerations of up to 25 per cent of gravity were measured on the bridge deck). Well‐defined lateral, longitudinal, vertical and torsional vibration modes were identified from the test data.The vibration modes were used to verify an analytical model of the bridge's dynamic response. For this paper, the model was verified using only the fundamental vibration mode, which was primarily a horizontal vibration mode. Using a system identification procedure, the dynamic response model was adjusted until its frequency and mode shape matched the measured frequency and mode shape. Parameters in the verified model were compared with the same parameters calculated from information in the structural drawings. Because the fundamental mode represents a horizontal mode, the bridge parameters identified in this paper were those parameters which strongly influence the horizontal response of the bridge.