Seismic response study on a multi-span cable-stayed bridge scale model under multi-support excitations. Part I: shaking table tests

With the rapid development of bridge engineering in China, multi-span cable-stayed bridges have become one of the main structures of modern highways and railways for crossing rivers or straits. In this study, a 1:100 scale model of a three-tower cable-stayed bridge was tested using a shaking table array system. The mechanism associated with the seismic response of the scale model under uniform and non-uniform excitations was clarified. The results from the tests indicated that: (1) the strong vibration responses of the main girder and towers under four different horizontal earthquake wave excitations were identified, and the seismic responses of the scale model were most evident under uniform Jiangxin (JX) wave excitation; (2) the seismic performances of the main girder and towers of the scale model were adversely affected by traveling wave effects, especially when the wave velocity exceeded 616 m/s, which suggests that traveling wave effects should be considered in the seismic design of multi-tower cable-stayed bridges; (3) when the peak acceleration value of the El Centro (EC) wave reached 4.0 m/s2, shear failure of the bearing of the middle tower first appeared. This kind of shaking table tests will help to improve our understanding of dynamic performance, and will be especially useful in the design process and numerical simulation of multi-span cable-stayed bridges with large span subjected to spatially varying earthquake ground motions.