Drive-by bridge damage detection using non-specialized instrumented vehicle

Bridge structures are subject to continuous degradation, which requires an ongoing screening to give an early warning if the bridge becomes unsafe. In recent years, many authors have investigated a shift of the instrumentation from the bridge to a passing vehicle to collect indirect measurements for the bridge responses. This approach is known by drive-by bridge inspection. This paper introduces a new method in the drive-by bridge inspection concept which employs acceleration measurements of a non-specialized vehicle to identify the change in the bridge responses due to structural damage. Two damage indices are included in the study, the vehicle acceleration spectra and the change in the bridge displacement. The paper will use an explicit approach for solving the Vehicle-Bridge Interaction (VBI) problem to give a more accurate representation of the truck/bridge interaction. The VBI problem will be solved using LS-Dyna Finite Element Analysis (FEA) program. The bridge is represented by discretized one-dimensional (1D) FE beam elements, and by discretized twodimensional (2D) plate bending elements. Damage is defined in this study as a change in the damping ratio and/or gradual decrease in structure stiffness. Two vehicle models are used in the study, the two-degree-of-freedom quarter car model and the four-degree-of-freedom half car model. Both smooth and rough profiles are considered in the study. © 2016/2017 - IOS Press and the authors. All rights reserved.