Characterization of dynamic coupling induced shifts of frequencies in vehicle-scanning method

• Published in: Computers & structures 2024-12, Vol.305, p.107528, Article 107528
• Main Authors: Yau, J.D., Yang, Judy P., Urushadze, Shota
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Dynamic coupling; Experiment; Frequency; Vehicle-bridge interaction; Vehicle-scanning method
• ISSN: 0045-7949
• DOI: 10.1016/j.compstruc.2024.107528

•A comprehensive strategy is proposed to characterize the dynamic coupling induced shifts of bridge and vehicle frequencies.•The shifted bridge and vehicle frequencies are demonstrtated by dynamic measurement and supported by theoretical formulations.•A larger vehicle speed leads to larger response in the spectrum.•Larger vehicle mass leads to more significant VBI effect.•The effect of rolling frequency is experimentally observed for the first time.•The theoretical bridge and vehicle frequencies can be numerically retrieved by neglecting VBI effect.•A test vehicle with tunable frequency is designed for indirect measurement. A comprehensive strategy combining theory and experiment is proposed to characterize the dynamic coupling induced shifts of vehicle and bridge frequencies through both experimental investigation and numerical validation, in which the effect of vehicle-bridge interaction is theoretically incorporated in the vehicle-scanning method based on the experimental model. It is known that the measurement of bridge frequencies plays an important role in structural health monitoring as the shift of frequency can be served as an indicator of possible damage occurring in a bridge. Nevertheless, the attention has been mainly drawn on the accuracy improvement in developing the vehicle-scanning method so far, with limited discussion of dynamic coupling effect on the frequency shifts. As such, a combined theoretical–experimental approach is presented to show that the influence of vehicle-bridge interaction results in the coupled frequencies of a vehicle-beam system using the vehicle-scanning method, and adopting a heavy lumped test vehicle can lead to the underestimated bridge frequency and overestimated vehicle frequency. As a new finding, the effect of rolling frequency is experimentally observed in the vehicle spectrum for the first time.