New Damage Localization Method for Bridges Using Vertical Support Reaction Data under Truck Load

摘要

The localization of damage for bridges to ensure their safety is investigated in this paper.Equivalent element concept is introduced into this study at the beginning.Support reaction data of each bearing under truck load are found to be able to lend themselves to indicate damage.A novel index termed as symmetrical support reaction difference index(SSRDI) is then developed.The reverse mapping between the local flexural stiffness change induced by damage and the SSRDI is generated.The proposed method based on SSRDI can be sensitive to tiny damages,and comparatively simple measurements are required during the application procedure.Another significant attraction of this method is that it can work in the presence of random uncertainties and actual support condition,which means it is suitable for real-world bridges.The effectiveness of the proposed method is demonstrated by numerical simulations performed on two kinds of bridges with reasonable damage severities.Its comparative advantage over the previous frequency method is also investigated.