Influence of Temperature and Bearing Condition on the Vibration Characteristics of a Steel Arch Bridge

Abstract

There has been a lot of research works to develop damage detection methods using the change of vibration characteristics for bridge structures. However, the change can occur due to not only the structural damages but also other factors. Furthermore, it is well known that function of bearings is prone to deterioration and it has an influence on the vibration characteristics of bridge structures. In this study, in order to clarify the influence of temperature and bearing condition on the vibration characteristics of the whole bridge structure, monitoring of vertical acceleration, temperature, and axial displacement at movable support of the girder was carried out in a steel arch bridge, and correlation analysis using the measured data was performed. As a result, a negative correlation was found between the natural frequencies and the bridge temperature in the estimated vibration modes, and a positive correlation was confirmed between the axial displacement and the temperature of the bridge. It was also confirmed that the behavior of axial displacement when rising in temperature is different from that when dropping in temperature.