Bridge deflection evaluation using strain and rotation measurements

• Type: Article in International Scientific Journal
• Date: 2013

Authors

Helder Sousa (Author) Other; Filipe Cavadas (Author) Other; Abel Henriques (Author) FEUP; Joao Bento (Author) Other; Joaquim Figueiras (Author) FEUP

Journal

Title: Smart Structures and Systems

Vol. 11 No. 4

Pages: 365-386

ISSN: 1738-1584

Publisher: Techno Press

Indexing

ISI Web of Knowledge - 11 Citations

ISI Web of Science

Scopus - 34 Citations

Scientific classification

FOS: Engineering and technology > Civil engineering

CORDIS: Technological sciences > Engineering > Civil engineering > Structural engineering ; Technological sciences > Engineering > Civil engineering

Other information

Authenticus ID: P-006-C9M

DOI: 10.12989/sss.2013.11.4.365

Abstract (EN): Monitoring systems currently applied to concrete bridges include strain gauges, inclinometers, accelerometers and displacement transducers. In general, vertical displacements are one of the parameters that more often need to be assessed because their information reflects the overall response of the bridge span. However, the implementation of systems to continuously and directly observe vertical displacements is known to be difficult. On the other hand, strain gauges and inclinometers are easier to install, but their measurements provide no more than indirect information regarding the bridge deflection. In this context, taking advantage of the information collected through strain gauges and inclinometers, and the processing capabilities of current computers, a procedure to evaluate bridge girder deflections based on polynomial functions is presented. The procedure has been implemented in an existing software system MENSUSMONITOR -, improving the flexibility in the data handling and enabling faster data processing by means of real time visualization capabilities. Benefiting from these features, a comprehensive analysis aiming at assessing the suitability of polynomial functions as an approximate solution for deflection curves, is presented. The effect of boundary conditions and the influence of the order of the polynomial functions on the accuracy of results are discussed. Some recommendations for further instrumentation plans are provided based on the results of the present analysis. This work is supported throughout by monitoring data collected from a laboratory beam model and two full-scale bridges.

Language: English

Type (Professor's evaluation): Scientific

No. of pages: 22