Experimental Investigation of a Rapid Calculation and Damage Diagnosis of the Quasistatic Influence Line of a Self-Anchored Suspension Bridge Based on Deflection Theory

Based on deflection theory, the basic differential equations and deformation compatibility equations of self-anchored suspension bridges are established. The calculation formula for the stiffening girder deflection of a three-span self-anchored suspension bridge is derived, and the validity of the formula is confirmed through an example. In addition, a fast calculation method for the theoretical deflection influence line is proposed by using the deflection calculation formula, and a calculation method for the actual deflection influence line is founded on the concept of time and space coordinate transformation. By loading the bridge with a load car and using real-time monitoring of the displacement response of the bridge test section, combined with the proposed intelligent damage evaluation program, the abnormal situation of the damage of the three-span self-anchored suspension bridge can be quickly and accurately identified. The research results of this paper can provide flexible, economical, and effective guidance for detecting the capacity of real bridges. This article is available in the ASME Digital Collection at https://doi.org/10.1115/1.4064845.