Investigation of traffic-induced vibrations on a historic swing bridge in Italy

• Main Authors: Netti, A., Fiore, A., Monaco, P., Marano, GC.
• Other Authors: Marano, Gc.
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: 2015
• Subjects: Dynamic monitoring; Modal identification; Pedestrian comfort; Serviceability of bridge; St. Francesco da Paola bridge; Physics and Astronomy (all); Electrical and Electronic Engineering; North Atlantic
• Online Access: http://hdl.handle.net/11589/125759; http://www.naun.org/main/NAUN/mechanics/2015/a142003-048.pdf

This work presents a study on a very peculiar bridge, the “St. Francesco da Paola” swing bridge in Taranto, with the aim to investigate the problem of vertical traffic-induced vibrations and their effects on pedestrians. A wide monitoring ambient vibration testing has been conducted on the bridge, in order to obtain useful data for identification of modal parameters and analysis of vibration level. A detailed finite element 3D-model has been realized on the basis of survey and design data; then a model updating has been calibrated with experimental data. The vertical vibrations have been compared to reference values from technical standards/literature in order to estimate the vibration level, and a probabilistic approach has been adopted to evaluate the pedestrian comfort. © 2015, North Atlantic University Union