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Smart Structures and Systems
  Volume 11, Number 4, April 2013 , pages 411-433
DOI: https://doi.org/10.12989/sss.2013.11.4.411
 


Determination of stay cable force based on effective vibration length accurately estimated from multiple measurements
Chien-Chou Chen, Wen-Hwa Wu, Chin-Hui Huang and Gwolong Lai

 
Abstract
    Due to its easy operation and wide applicability, the ambient vibration method is commonly adopted to determine the cable force by first identifying the cable frequencies from the vibration signals. With given vibration length and flexural rigidity, an analytical or empirical formula is then used with these cable frequencies to calculate the cable force. It is, however, usually difficult to decide the two required parameters, especially the vibration length due to uncertain boundary constraints. To tackle this problem, a new concept of combining the modal frequencies and mode shape ratios is fully explored in this study for developing an accurate method merely based on ambient vibration measurements. A simply supported beam model with an axial tension is adopted and the effective vibration length of cable is then independently determined based on the mode shape ratios identified from the synchronized measurements. With the effective vibration length obtained and the identified modal frequencies, the cable force and flexural rigidity can then be solved using simple linear regression techniques. The feasibility and accuracy of the proposed method is extensively verified with demonstrative numerical examples and actual applications to different cable-stayed bridges. Furthermore, several important issues in engineering practice such as the number of sensors and selection of modes are also thoroughly investigated.
 
Key Words
    stay cable force; ambient vibration method; effective vibration length; multiple measurements; mode shape ratio; modal frequency; flexural rigidity
 
Address
Chien-Chou Chen, Wen-Hwa Wu, Chin-Hui Huang and Gwolong Lai : Department of Construction Engineering, National Yunlin University of Science and Technology, Yunlin 640,
Taiwan
 

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