A pseudo-microsimulation approach for modelling congested traffic loading on long-span bridges

This paper investigates congested traffic loading on long-span bridges through the use of traffic microsimulation. Six months of Weigh-In-Motion free-flow traffic data (including cars) are used as input for the microsimulation of congested traffic. Key parameters that affect traffic loading are identified in the output of the microsimulation, and these parameters form the basis for a more computationally efficient ‘pseudo-microsimulation of congested traffic’ (PMCT) model. This PMCT model is shown to replicate the traffic loading from full microsimulation accurately and allows long-run simulations, equivalent to 1000 years of congested traffic, to be performed with an acceptably short duration. This reduces the significant uncertainties associated with extrapolating short-run simulation results to long return periods. The 1000-year simulated results from the PMCT are compared with the extrapolated results from full microsimulation, and with the traffic loading from some design codes, for different bridge lengths. Both types of microsimulation are also applied to calculate maximum lifetime loading for two typical long-span bridges – one cable-stayed and one suspension bridge – using influence lines determined from finite-element models.     

An efficient approach for traffic load modelling of long span bridges

Traffic micro-simulation is the newly developed approach for loading calculation of long span bridges. The approach is quite precise, but computationally expensive to consider the full extent of traffic loading scenarios during a bridge lifetime. To address this shortfall, an efficient multi-scale traffic modelling approach is proposed. The proposed approach uses micro- and macro-simulation with different load model varieties (LMVs), or fidelities (levels of detail) of traffic loading in different bridge regions, to achieve optimal computation efficiency while maintaining the precision of loading calculation. Metrics of influence line (IL) characteristics, such as degree of nonlinearity, are proposed to evaluate the appropriateness of the choice of LMV, and standards of the metrics are also investigated to quantify the implementation of LMVs on bridge IL regions in the multi-scale modelling. Finally, two typical ILs are used along with random traffic modelling to study the feasibility of the proposed approach. It is shown that the multi-scale modelling approach proposed here achieves high computational efficiency and accuracy, which is significant for the massive traffic load simulation for lifetime bridge load effect analysis.     

Assessment dynamic ratio for traffic loading on highway bridges

The determination of characteristic bridge load effect is a complex problem. Usually, statistical extrapolation of simulated static load effects is used to derive a lifetime characteristic static load effect. However, when a vehicle crosses a bridge, dynamic interactions occur which often cause greater total load effect. This total load effect is related to the static load effect through a dynamic amplification factor (DAF). Specifications often recommend a conservative level for DAF, based on bridge length, number of lanes, and type of load effect only. Therefore significant improvements in the accuracy of this calculation are possible if a DAF, specific to the considered bridge, is applied. In this paper, the authors develop a novel method that considers site-specific bridge and traffic load conditions and allows for the reduced probability of both high static loading and high dynamic interaction occurring simultaneously. This approach utilises multivariate extreme value theory, in conjunction with static simulations and finite element vehicle–bridge dynamic interaction models. It is found that the dynamic allowance for the sample bridge and traffic considered is significantly less than recommended by bridge codes. This finding can have significant implications for the assessment of existing bridge stock.     

Methodology for development of live load models for refined analysis of short and medium-span highway bridges

Abstract

The accuracy of bridge system safety evaluations and reliability assessments obtained through refined structural and finite element analyses depends not only on the accuracy of the structural model itself but also on the proper modelling of the maximum traffic loads. While current code-specified live load models were calibrated to properly reflect the safety levels of bridge structures analysed using the simplified methods adopted in bridge design and evaluation manuals, these load models may not lead to accurate results when implemented during refined structural analysis procedures. This paper describes a method to calibrate appropriate live load models that can be used for advanced analyses of bridges. The calibration procedure is demonstrated using actual traffic data collected at a representative weigh-in-motion station in New York State. The proposed calibration methodology is applicable for developing live load models for different bridge service periods, bridge types and design/assessment codes or standards. Live load models obtained using the proposed calibration procedure are readily implementable for deterministic refined analyses of highway bridges to produce similar results to those of complex traffic load simulations. Examples are presented that describe how results of such calibrated live load models would be used in engineering practice.     

Dynamic stress analysis for fatigue damage prognosis of long-span bridges

For fatigue damage prognosis of a long-span steel bridge, the dynamic stress analysis of critical structural components of the bridge under the future dynamic vehicle loading is essential. This paper thus presents a framework of dynamic stress analysis for fatigue damage prognosis of long-span steel bridges under the future dynamic vehicle loading. The multi-scale finite element (FE) model of the bridge is first developed using shell/plate elements to simulate the critical structural components (local models) and using beam/truss elements to simulate the rest part of the bridge (global model). With the appropriate coupling of the global and local models, the multi-scale FE model can accurately capture simultaneously not only the global behavior in terms of displacement and acceleration but also the local behavior in terms of stress and strain. A vehicle traffic load model is then developed for forecasting the future vehicle loading based on the recorded weigh-in-motion (WIM) data and using the agent-based traffic flow microsimulation. The forecasted future vehicle loading is finally applied on the multi-scale model of a real long-span cable-stayed bridge for dynamic stress analysis and fatigue damage prognosis. The obtained results show that the proposed framework is effective and accurate for dynamic stress analysis and fatigue damage prognosis.     

Fragility analysis of bridges due to overweight traffic load

In the U.S. overloading represents the third cause of bridge failures just after hydraulic events and collisions. Large data assembled by Weigh-In-Motion (WIM) systems can be used to obtain improved region-specific or network-specific characterization of vehicle loads on highway bridges for a more accurate evaluation of the safety of critical bridges and the failure consequences to the concerned communities. To achieve this goal it is important to develop tools that allow engineers to estimate the reliability of various types of bridges subjected to realistic ranges of heavy truck load intensities as encountered on highway networks. The objective of this paper is to describe an approach that combines field data and numerical simulations to perform the fragility analysis of bridges due to different percentages of overweight loads and truck traffic. Numerical examples are provided by analyzing typical bridges using field truck data collected at WIM sites in upstate New York. The results of the analysis show that the fragility curves for fatigue are function of the percentage of overweight trucks in New York as a second order polynomial, while the fragility curves of bridges for overstress can be modeled with a copula using both normal distributions for the overweight percentages and Average Daily Truck Traffic.     

重载交通对沥青路面使用寿命的影响分析

采用弹性层状体系理论,按现行公路沥青路面设计规范方法和Shell计算程序分别计算路面结构的路表弯沉、层底拉应力,并计算路面结构使用寿命,分析路面结构在极限荷载作用下的力学响应以及极限荷载对疲劳寿命的影响。     

Flutter- and buffeting-based selection for long-span bridges

Flutter-based selection for the Jiangyin Bridge, a suspension bridge with a main span of 1385 m, was made through a sectional model wind tunnel test. The concept of “buffeting-based selection” of long-span suspended bridges in the preliminary design stage was proposed, and the corresponding method was developed based on the Scanlan buffeting analysis method. Fifteen long-span bridges that have been researched by the authors and other co-researchers were investigated to simplify the method further. Also, the Jiangyin Bridge was taken as an example to show the application of the buffeting-based selection method.     

大跨度小半径连续弯梁桥结构行为分析

在现代城市桥梁工程中,特别是在城市立交枢纽工程、城市高架桥工程中,考虑桥下地面交通、管线及美观等因素,常常不可避免地要用到大跨度小半径弯桥。成都"两快两射两环"项目中南二环上采用了这种大跨度小半径弯桥,采用Midas Civil 2010有限元软件,用单梁单元模型和梁格法分别对其进行了计算,通过对比分析了解了其结构受力行为。     

大跨径桥梁钢桥面铺装设计

由于大跨径钢箱梁桥面铺装的使用条件、施工工艺、质量控制与要求的特殊性,因此对于特定的桥梁的桥面铺装均需作针对性的专题研究,以保证铺装设计和施工成功。总结了作者近10年对大跨径钢桥面铺装设计理论与方法设计的研究成果,包括铺装材料与结构、钢桥面铺装体系受力特性、疲劳特性、设计指标、轴载换算原则与方法、铺装体系整体优化设计方法、工程实施等技术,研究成果已在南京长江第二大桥、南京长江第三大桥、润扬长江公路大桥、苏通长江大桥和杭州湾大桥等10多座大型钢箱梁桥桥面铺装设计和铺装工程中应用。     

大跨径钢桥面铺装体系多目标优化设计

将大跨径钢桥的正交异性钢桥面和其上的铺装层作为钢桥面铺装体系整体进行多目标优化设计。取大跨径钢桥面铺装体系造价及铺装层表面极限应力最小化两类指标构造目标函数,在此基础上建立多目标优化设计的数学模型。采用评价函数中的线性加权和法进行求解,开发了钢桥面铺装体系结构多目标优化设计程序,以国内某大跨径钢桥为对象,采用多目标优化设计方法,给出钢桥面铺装体系中各参数的合理界限。应用国际通用有限元软件SPA93程序对其进行验证,结果表明,应用多目标优化设计方法对大跨径钢桥面铺装体系设计是可行的。研究成果可为大跨径钢桥面铺装体系结构的设计提供理论依据。     

基于实测车流的大跨度悬索桥振动响应研究

以江阴长江公路大桥为工程背景,对大桥收费站实测交通流数据进行统计,建立典型车辆的等效荷载模型,模拟具有实际车流特性的6车道随机交通流。基于数值仿真技术编制程序,并考虑车-桥耦合效应,应用所模拟的6车道交通流和大桥有限元模型,计算大桥在实测车流作用下主梁不同位置位移和内力的振动响应以及动力放大系数。通过对位移和内力的变化规律分析,研究实测车流作用下大跨度悬索桥的振动响应特征。研究结果表明:不同地区典型车辆荷载存在一定差异;车流作用下大桥主梁1/4跨位置位移振动响应最大,而内力振动响应极值出现在大桥跨中位置;位移动力放大系数与现行规范规定符合程度较高;考虑车-桥耦合效应的内力动力放大系数与规范相比偏差较大,内力动力放大系数对局部范围内的车辆振动更加敏感。     

斜靠式拱桥侧倾失稳临界荷载解析解

以新型空间拱桥——斜靠式拱桥为研究对象,提出斜靠式拱桥发生侧倾失稳时主拱肋与稳定拱肋间横撑切向和径向受力模型,基于Ritz法,构造桥梁各主要构件的变形能、外力势能以及吊杆非保向力势,首次推导出斜靠式拱桥侧倾失稳临界荷载的解析解,并通过与有限元计算结果比较,验证该解析解计算公式的正确性。进一步分析稳定拱肋、吊杆非保向力、以及主拱肋与稳定拱肋间横撑对斜靠式拱桥侧倾失稳临界荷载的影响。研究结果表明:①增设稳定拱肋可使桥梁侧倾失稳临界荷载提高1.6～1.8倍左右,同时随着稳定拱肋倾角的增加,临界荷载呈增大趋势;②受吊杆非保向力以及桥面系的影响,桥梁侧倾失稳临界荷载可提高约3.5倍左右;③横撑的径向抗弯刚度对斜靠式拱桥侧向失稳临界荷载影响较大。     

交通荷载作用下软土地基沉降分析

对软土地基在静力荷载作用下的沉降特性,交通荷载作用下软土的动力特性以及交通荷载作用下软土地基的沉降组成进行了分析,对工程实际有一定的借鉴作用。     

Flutter control effect and mechanism of central-slotting for long-span bridges

The flutter control effect and mechanism of central-slotting, which have gradually been adopted in the design and construction of long-span bridges as an effective flutter controlling measure, were investigated with theoretical analysis and wind tunnel test. Five basic girder cross-sections representing five typical aerodynamic configurations were selected and central-slotted with two different slot widths. Then, a series of sectional model tests and theoretical analyses based on the two-dimensional three-degrees-of-freedom coupling flutter analysis method (2 dimension-3 degrees of freedom method, 2d-3DOF method) were carried out to investigate the aerody namic performance, flutter mechanism and flutter modality of the five basic sections and their corresponding central-slotted sections. The results show that central-slotting can not always improve the aerodynamic stability of bridge structure. The control effect of central-slotting depends on the aerodynamic configuration of the original girder section and the corresponding central-slotting width. If the original section is inappropriate or the slot width is unsuitable, central-slotting will even deteriorate the structural flutter performance. Theoretical investigations indicated that the differences in flutter control effects come from the different formation and evolution of aerodynamic damping, and flutter modality especially the participation level of heaving motion also has a significant influence on the control effect of central-slotting. __________ Translated from China Civil Engineering Journal, 2006, 39(7): 74–80 [译自: 土木工程学报]     

竖扭耦合的大跨度桥梁颤抖风振响应分析

以 Scanlan的颤抖振分析理论为基础 ,推导了桥梁截面偏心时大跨度桥梁竖弯、扭转相互耦合的颤抖风振基本方程及响应均方值表达式 ,以金门大桥为算例 ,证明了求解方法的正确性 .     

大跨度桥梁中央开槽颤振控制效果和机理研究

采用理论分析结合风洞试验的方法,对中央开槽这种已经在大跨度桥梁设计和建设中逐步得到应用的颤振控制措施的控制效果和控制机理进行研究。选取5种不同气动外形的基本断面,采取2种开槽宽度分别对其进行中央开槽处理。对全部5个系列15种断面开展节段模型风洞试验,并应用二维三自由度耦合颤振分析方法,对各断面开槽前后颤振性能、颤振驱动机理和颤振形态的变化规律进行分析。研究结果表明,中央开槽并不总是能提高结构的颤振稳定性能,其控制效果同基本断面的气动外形以及开槽宽度密切相关,当槽宽不恰当时中央开槽的控制效果会严重削弱,而对气动外形比较钝化的断面采用中央开槽后其颤振性能反而会恶化。对控制机理的理论分析表明,这种控制效果差异的原因在于各断面气动阻尼的形成和随风速发展规律存在明显差别,而颤振形态特别是竖向自由度的参与程度也影响到中央开槽的颤振控制效果。     

Measurement-based traffic loading assessment of steel bridges – a basis for performance prediction

The Europabrücke, a well-known Austrian steel bridge near Innsbruck that was opened in 1963, is one of the main alpine north–south routes for urban and freight traffic. Currently the bridge is stressed by more than 30,000 motor vehicles per day (approximately 20% freight traffic). The superstructure is represented by a steel box girder (width = 10 m, variable height along the bridge length = 4.70–7.70 m) and an orthotropic deck and bottom plate. This motorway bridge with six spans of different lengths (longest span 198 m, supported by piers with an elevation of 190 m) and a total length of 657 m comprises six lanes, three for each direction distributed on a width of almost 25 m. It represents a bridge generation where bridge designers acted on a maximum of building material economisation. A long-term preoccupation of Vienna Consulting Engineers with the bridge monitoring system BRIMOS® on the Europabrücke (since 1997), with regard to fatigue problems and possible damage, led to the installation of a permanent monitoring system in 2003. As lifetime predictions in modern standards depend on lots of assumptions, the emphasis is to replace those premises (referring to loading) by measurements. A dynamic weight registration procedure for freight traffic (the major feature of the permanent monitoring system), mainly based on a pattern recognition algorithm, is introduced.     

浅析大跨径石拱桥施工

结合具体工程实例,针对拱桥施工中拱圈拱石计算进行探索,利用计算机AutoCAD制图软件的辅助计算功能,在砌筑过程中采用分段砌筑,从而使拱圈施工质量得到保证,充分证明该方法合理有效,具有广阔的推广应用空间。