Dynamic Testing of a Reinforced Concrete Road Bridge

Considering on one hand the calculation model of the bridge, simplifying assumptions and design criteria and on the other hand the inherent differences between the project and final structure, the real structure behaviour under traffic loads can be different from that one considered in the design stage. Therefore the need of experimental tests before commissioning of bridges arises and this task is generally conditioned by complexity of the structure, the technologies used in construction and the requirements of the relevant stakeholders. The paper presents the test conditions for a reinforced concrete road bridge in Romania and the results obtained following the experimental tests. The experimentally determined dynamic characteristics of the bridge and the peek vertical accelerations are compared with those obtained by performing numerical analyses of the bridge. Due to the fact that the bridge is provided with walkways, it is appropriate to presume that the vibrations induced by road traffic will affect the pedestrians walking on the bridge. Same experimental data presented above can provide a view into how traffic induced vibrations can affect pedestrians on the bridge. For this reason, in the paper are presented the results in terms of human perception and the comparison between the resulting values and some generally accepted values