Bridge Damage and Repair Detection Using an Instrumented Train
Publication: Journal of Bridge Engineering
Volume 27, Issue 3
Abstract
The static and dynamic effects of a railway bridge subjected to train loads have been investigated and analyzed to assess its condition. This paper investigates the potential of using repeated dynamic measurements taken on a passing train to determine the condition of a bridge. The results indicated that instrumented trains could be successfully used for ongoing monitoring of condition and, by implication, for identification of the need for repair or rehabilitation. This full-scale approach expands the potential for applications of bridge–vehicle dynamic interaction responses, along with their ability to be demonstrators of successful implementations of decisions on public infrastructure. The work also provided insights into the impact of a stiffer foundation at one pier and greater stiffness in two spans of a viaduct, for which experimental evidence is rarely available. The work also identified some of the challenges of such detection, such as accurate positioning and variability in the speeds of the passing trains.
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Acknowledgments
The authors gratefully acknowledge Science Foundation Ireland for supporting this research under the Industry Fellowship Programme, ID 19/IFA/7433. The authors also acknowledge the support of the EU-funded SIRMA project (Strengthening Infrastructure Risk Management in the Atlantic Area – Grant No. EAPA\_826/2018). Vikram Pakrashi would like to acknowledge that this publication emanated from research Science Foundation Ireland under Grant number RC2302_2.
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Information & Authors
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Published In
Journal of Bridge Engineering
Volume 27 • Issue 3 • March 2022
Copyright
© 2021 American Society of Civil Engineers.
History
Received: Apr 23, 2021
Accepted: Nov 3, 2021
Published online: Dec 17, 2021
Published in print: Mar 1, 2022
Discussion open until: May 17, 2022
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