Finite element model calibration of a steel railway bridge via ambient vibration test

This paper presents structural assessment of a steel railway bridge for current condition using modal parameter to upgrade finite element modeling in order to gather accurate result. An adequate monitoring, such as acceleration, displacement, strain monitoring, is important tool to understand behavior and to assess structural performance of the structure under surround vibration by means of the dynamic analysis. Evaluation of conditions of an existing steel railway bridge consist of 4 decks, three of them are 14 m, one of them is 9.7 m, was performed with a numerical analysis and a series of dynamic tests. Numerical analysis was performed implementing finite element model of the bridge using SAP2000 software. Dynamic tests were performed by collecting acceleration data caused by surrounding vibrations and dynamic analysis is performed by Operational Modal Analysis (OMA) using collected acceleration data. The acceleration response of the steel bridge is assumed to be governing response quantity for structural assessment and provide valuable information about the current statute of the structure. Modal identification determined based on response of the structure play significant role for upgrading finite element model of the structure and helping structural evaluation. Numerical and experimental dynamic properties are compared and finite element model of the bridge is updated by changing of material properties to reduce the differences between the results. In this paper, an existing steel railway bridge with four spans is evaluated by finite element model improved using operational modal analysis. Structural analysis performed for the bridge both for original and calibrated models, and results are compared. It is demonstrated that differences in natural frequencies are reduced between 0.2% to 5% by calibrating finite element modeling and stiffness properties.