This paper addresses the problem of damage detection in suspension bridge hangers, with an emphasis on the modal flexibility method. It aims at evaluating the capability and the accuracy of the modal flexibility method to detect and locate single and multiple damages in suspension bridge hangers, with different level of severity and various locations. The study is conducted numerically and experimentally on a laboratory suspension bridge mock-up. First, the covariance-driven stochastic subspace identification is used to extract the modal parameters of the bridge from experimental data, using only output measurements data from ambient vibration. Then, the method is demonstrated for several damage scenarios and compared against other classical methods, such as: Coordinate Modal Assurance Criterion (COMAC), Enhanced Coordinate Modal Assurance Criterion (ECOMAC), Mode Shape Curvature (MSC) and Modal Strain Energy (MSE). The paper demonstrates the relative merits and shortcomings of these methods which play a significant role in the damage detection of suspension bridges.
Fanhao Meng — Robotics Institute, Beihang University, Beijing 100191, China; Active Structures Laboratory, Université Libre de Bruxelles, 1050 Brussels, Belgium
Jingjun Yu — Robotics Institute, Beihang University, Beijing 100191, China
David Alaluf — Active Structures Laboratory, Université Libre de Bruxelles, 1050 Brussels, Belgium; ESA-ESTEC, Optoelectronics section, 2201 AZ Noordwijk, The Netherlands
Bilal Mokrani — Department of Mechanical, Materials and Aerospace Engineering, University of Liverpool, Liverpool L69 3BX, UK
André Preumont — Active Structures Laboratory, Université Libre de Bruxelles, 1050 Brussels, Belgium
PDF Viewer
Preview is limited to the first 3 pages. Sign in to access the full PDF.
