Abstract
This paper presents vibration-based damage detection (VBDD) for testing a steel-concrete composite bridge deck in a laboratory using both model-based and non-model-based methods. Damage that appears on a composite bridge deck may occur either in the service condition or in the loading condition. To verify the efficiency of the dynamic test methods for assessing different damage scenarios, two defect cases were designed in the service condition by removing the connection bolts along half of a steel girder and replacing the boundary conditions, while three damage cases were introduced in the loading condition by increasing the applied load. A static test and a multiple reference impact test (MRIT) were conducted in each case to obtain the corresponding deflection and modal data. For the non-model-based method, modal flexibility and modal flexibility displacement (MFD) were used to detect the location and extent of the damage. The test results showed that the appearance and location of the damage in defect cases and loading conditions can be successfully identified by the MFD values. A finite element (FE) model was rationally selected to represent the dynamic characteristics of the physical model, while four highly sensitive physical parameters were rationally selected using sensitivity analysis. The model updating technique was used to assess the condition of the whole deck in the service condition, including the boundary conditions, connectors, and slab. Using damage functions, Strand7 software was used to conduct FE analysis coupled with the MATLAB application programming interface to update multiple physical parameters. Of the three different FE models used to simulate the behavior of the composite slab, the calculated MFD of the shell-solid FE model was almost identical to the test results, indicating that the performance of the tested composite structure could be accurately predicted by this type of FE model.
Highlights
Steel-concrete composite bridges are used extensively in highway networks
When invisible damage occurs on a complicated structure such as a composite bridge deck with shear connectors, the vibration-based damage detection (VBDD) method may be well suited as a global testing method to determine the structural condition of the bridge
An experimental test was firstly conducted by utilizing the non-model-based VBDD method to detect the damage of a scaled steel-concrete composite specimen with various damage settings. ereafter, based on finite element (FE) model parameters using Strand7 and MATLAB software, the modelbased VBDD method was utilized to locate and quantify the damage of three calibrated FE models. e proposed procedure is a new application of the damage detection technique for steelconcrete structures
Summary
Steel-concrete composite bridges are used extensively in highway networks. In this type of bridge system, reinforced concrete (RC) decks are connected to steel girders to obtain the merits of both materials and to increase the rigidity of both the girders and the slabs. Limited studies have focused on damage detection approaches for steel-concrete composite structures, and very little research has used the VBDD method to provide a satisfactory assessment of different damage cases for composite structures. They used modal flexibility change and modal strain energy change for damage localization of shear connectors Results showed that their method was effective in damage assessment for slab-ongirder bridge superstructure. Li et al [25] proposed a dynamic damage detection approach based on the wavelet packet energy of cross-correlation functions from ambient vibration measurements to identify the damage of shear connectors in slab-on-girder bridges. Continuous wavelet transform (CWT) and HHT [28] were used to analyze the measured dynamic responses and to identify the damage of shear connectors in a composite bridge model under moving loads. E effectiveness of both methods was demonstrated, and the findings of this research will be useful in predicting damage of composite bridges to enable early retrofitting and prevent bridge failure
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