Dynamic testing of cable structures

The paper presents a brief state-of-art of experimental techniques available for identification of modal properties in Civil Engineering structures and describes the tools developed and applied at the Laboratory of Vibrations and Monitoring (VIBEST, www.fe.up.pt/vibest) of the Civil Engineering Department of the Faculty of Engineering of the University of Porto (FEUP), discussing the type and quality of relevant information that can be achieved. Practical applications to several cable structures are presented, illustrating particular problems of these structures: cable-structure interaction is discussed for the Jindo Bridge physical model; the identification for validation of numerical models is presented for Vasco da Gama Bridge and for the new Braga stadium suspended roof; the assessment of cable force for fatigue studies is referred for the Salgueiro Maia Bridge; and a monitoring program for assessment of cable vibrations is described for the International Guadiana Bridge. It is shown that dynamic testing of Civil Engineering structures has become an accurate, low cost and most valuable tool.