Finite element modeling of a six-span bridge.

摘要

A major reconstruction of the I-15 is currently underway by the Utah Department of Transportation in Salt Lake City. The Utah State University Structural Engineering Division has recently conducted full-scale forced vibration testing on a six-span bridge. An eccentric mass shaker and an impact hammer were used to excite the bridge at different frequencies in the horizontal direction. Analysis of the collected data has resulted in experimentally determined dynamic properties, namely frequencies of vibration, mode shapes, and modal damping.; This research was aimed at arriving at techniques for using system identification as a means of identifying structural damage. This thesis explains the techniques used in creating the finite element model of the bridge and the techniques used for structural identification. The columns, bents, and girders of the bridge were modeled using frame elements and the deck was modeled using shell elements. The other elements of the model, like the joints and supports, were modeled using springs and other support conditions. (Abstract shortened by UMI.)