Baseline finite element modeling of government bridge

The ability to develop indices to aid in the structural health monitoring of aging bridges in the United States is much to be desired. This paper discusses the creation of a finite element model of Government Bridge, located between Rock Island, Illinois and Davenport, Iowa, a historic structure dating back to the late nineteenth century, to help develop these indices and verify the efficacy of utilizing structural health monitoring systems on such structures. Frame3D, a finite element program developed by the Smart Structures Technology Laboratory at the University of Illinois for this type of analysis, was used to create the Government Bridge model. The historical significance of the test structure, initial construction, repair and rehabilitation timeline, and current structure are discussed in detail. The challenges of creating the Frame3D model from the original as-built drawings of the bridge are mentioned as well as general assumptions for the model. The first site visit to the bridge took place in October, 2009. The weather conditions during the visit remained windy, with light or heavy rain, and with an average temperature of fifty degrees Fahrenheit. The numerical model required many changes to account for modifications to bridge members. Initial acceleration data obtained from the bridge compared quite well with the results of the adjusted model. Numerical results predict that the first transverse mode and the first vertical mode occur at 1.873Hz and 4.172Hz, respectively. The experimental data show that these modes occur at approximately 1.953Hz and 4.297Hz, respectively. Discrepancies in these results are discussed, and, finally, a summary of future work and goals for the entire project and further development of the model are given.

Name thesis:degree_name

M.S.

Level thesis:degree_level

Thesis

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Civil Engineering

Grantor

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Year dc:date

2010

Author dc:creator

• Hsiao, Christopher R.

Contributors dc:contributor

• Spencer, Billie F., Jr.

• Government Bridge
• Bridge Indices
• Rotating Draw Span
• Finite Element Model (FEM)
• Structural Health Monitoring

Statement dc:rights

• Copyright 2009 Christopher Hsiao

Language dc:language

en

Handle dc:identifier

http://hdl.handle.net/2142/16003

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:www.ideals.illinois.edu:2142/16003