A highly accurate and efficient analytical approach to bridge deck free vibration analysis

Article type: Research Article

Authors: D.J. Gorman, | L. Garibaldi,

Affiliations: Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Ottawa, 770 King Edward Avenue, Ottawa, Canada | Dipartimento di Meccanico, Politecnico di Torin, Torino, Italy

Note: [] Dep't. Mech. Eng., Univ. of Ottawa, 770 King Edward Ave. K1N 6N5, Ottawa, Canada. E-mail: dgorman@genie.uottawa.ca

Abstract: The superposition method is employed to obtain an accurate analytical type solution for the free vibration frequencies and mode shapes of multi-span bridge decks. Free edge conditions are imposed on the long edges running in the direction of the deck. Inter-span support is of the simple (knife-edge) type. The analysis is valid regardless of the number of spans or their individual lengths. Exact agreement is found when computed results are compared with known eigenvalues for bridge decks with all spans of equal length. Mode shapes and eigenvalues are presented for typical bridge decks of three and four span lengths. In each case torsional and non-torsional modes are studied.

Journal: Shock and Vibration, vol. 7, no. 6, pp. 399-412, 2000