Ambient and Forced Vibration Tests on a Cable-Stayed Bridge

This study seeks improved prediction accuracy for dynamic parameters of long-span bridges obtained from experimental measurements. Ambient vibration tests of a long-span bridge were conducted to estimate natural frequencies, damping, and mode shapes. These parameters were used to evaluate and modify a computational dynamic model for the bridge. Transient vibration tests were conducted to obtain the bridge response under the effects of two measured trucks traversing the bridge with near steady speed. With the input and output of the bridge known, a system identification method for experimental determination of the modal parameters was developed and applied to investigate the bridge's dynamic properties.