Assessment of Wind-Induced Damages to Pedestrian Bridges due to Hurricane Maria
Publication: Forensic Engineering 2022
ABSTRACT
On September 20, 2017, Puerto Rico was impacted by Hurricane Maria. The objectives of this investigation were to determine if the hurricane caused damages to pedestrian bridges and to offer suggestions on improving the resiliency of these structures. Twenty-one bridges in the San Juan metropolitan area were inspected, of which four were assessed to have wind-induced damages. The main cause of the damages was the presence of traffic signs attached to the bridges. Two steel truss pedestrian bridges experienced inelastic lateral deflections due to the wind pressure these signs transferred to the structure. On the other two, the transit signs were detached from their bottom supports, constituting a safety hazard. One of the bridges affected by inelastic lateral deflection was furthered analyzed. A detailed inspection was performed, lab tests were carried out to characterize the material, and finite element simulations were executed. It was concluded that the signs played a predominant role in the inelastic response, but there were other contributing factors. It is recommended that special considerations be taken when attaching signs to pedestrian bridges. In addition, after an extreme wind event, preliminary inspections should include any flexible elements attached to pedestrian bridges.
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Forensic Engineering 2022
Pages: 411 - 422
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Published online: Nov 2, 2022
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