A new paper from SDA-Lab is published in prestigious Journal of Sound and Vibration (Impact Factor of 4.76). The paper is titled “Bridge damage detection using operating deflection shape ratios obtained from a passing vehicle” and is authored by our PhD student Mr. Robert Corbally and the Lab lead, Dr. Abdollah Malekjafarian.
This paper proposes a novel approach which introduces the concept of operating deflection shape ratios (ODSRs) from the responses measured on two following axles on a bridge. Unlike operating deflection shapes derived from drive-by measurements, ODSRs are non-dimensional values and are not a function of the bridge excitation level. This means that ODSRs are always constant for various vehicles passages. It is theoretically demonstrated in this study that ODSRs corresponding to each mode of bridge vibration can be approximately extracted from the responses of two following axles. Finite element modelling is employed to validate the feasibility of using ODSRs for bridge monitoring. The sensitivity of the ODSRs to damage is demonstrated numerically for damage at various locations, different vehicle speeds and different pavement roughness values. Laboratory experiments are then used to verify the theory in a practical environment. It is confirmed that the ODSR can be calculated from in-vehicle vibration measurements and can be used to detect changes in the structural behaviour of the bridge. The results of the study indicate that the ODSR represents a useful feature for drive-by bridge monitoring.
The paper is published open access and can be down loaded from here.