Wind driven damage detection on a suspended bridge

In this paper the feasibility of the Interpolation Method for damage detection of long span suspension bridges is investigated. The Shimotsui-Seto suspension bridge, in Japan is considered for the study simulating wind induced vibration response using a finite element model of the bridge and a spatially correlated model for the wind action. Based on response to vibrations induced on the bridge deck by a wind loading history, a ‘signature’ of the structure in the intact state has been obtained in terms of the power spectral densities of responses along the bridge deck. Several damage scenarios have been simulated by reducing the stiffness of a number of elements along the bridge deck and the new signature of the bridge in each of the damaged conditions has been obtained using a new wind loading history. Results show a good performance of the IDDM able to provide the correct identification of damage location for all the damage scenarios herein considered.