A baseline finite element model reflects the built-up structural conditions of the real undamagedstructure. Structural health can be monitored when this model is compared against a model of the target structure.The paper is aimed at presenting an ambient vibration based procedure to establish a baseline finite elementmodel of a long span cable-stayed bridge that was newly constructed. The bridge is the Qinzhou cable-stayedbridge over the Ming River, Fuzhou, China. Its main span length of 605 m is the longest in the world among thecompleted composite-deck cable-stayed bridge. The proposed procedure includes several tasks: field ambientvibration testing, finite element modeling and model calibration. The concrete deck stiffness, cable tension, largedeflection and dead load are discussed in the modeling of the bridge. The calibrated finite element model willbe a baseline model for the dynamic health monitoring of the bridge.
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