Numerical study of the dynamic characteristics of a hybrid steel-concrete bridge

Abstract

Due to the continuous development of the transportation sector and the industrial areas, the roads network has become complex nowadays. The administrators of these networks are thus responsible for maintaining it in proper conditions, using the limited budget available, insufficient for the many structures and problems identified across the network. Therefore, effective systems have been created and developed to prioritize the required works, and the benefits of their implementation have been ascertained from the early stages of the degradation development. One of these systems is the modern methodology for assessing the structural state of bridges, called Structural Health Monitoring (SHM), responsible for discovering and monitoring the degradation occurrence and development. In this paper, the authors present the numerical modelling and the dynamic analysis of a bridge with mixed steel-concrete structure. The bridge is located in Romania, ensuring the continuity of DN 28 road near Scheia. The bridge superstructure, 220.70 m in length, was fully modelled using the SAP2000 program, highlighting the specific behaviour of a continuous girder. The frequencies and deformations for the first four vibration modes were determined. The data will be used in a forthcoming experimental study and compared to those recorded in-situ, in order to determine the structural degradation.