CALIBRATION OF AN ANALYTICAL METHOD FOR VEHICLE- INDUCED VIBRATIONS ON FLEXIBLE BRIDGES

摘要

The results of full scale trials of heavy vehicle-induced vibrations on the Pierre Laporte Bridge are presented. The Pierre Laporte Bridge spans approximately 1 km having the longest main span of any suspension bridge in Canada. The tests were performed during short periods of complete bridge closure on October 27 and 28, 2014. During the tests, the acceleration of the bridge was recorded at multiple locations in addition to measurements of the vertical and pitching accelerations of the testing vehicle itself. The results of these tests are used to calibrate an analytical tool developed to screen bridge designs for potential serviceability concerns due to vehicle-induced vibrations. Numerical simulations are performed using this analytical method and compared directly to the results of the full scale trials. Good agreement is found between the peak predictions and the measurements highlighting the effectiveness of the screening tool during the design of medium- to long-span bridges. No cases of pedestrian discomfort to any kind of dynamic excitations have been reported since the Pierre Laporte Bridge opened in 1970, and the results measured during the full scale trials and those simulated numerically reflect these observations.