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As transportation infrastructure continues to age, new methods of non-contact monitoring should be evaluated and, if found suitable, employed for bridge monitoring and structural health assessment. This study highlights the use of infrasound monitoring, a geophysical technique utilizing acoustics below 20 Hz, as one possible solution for non-contact, non-line-of-sight infrastructure health monitoring. This dissertation focuses on the technique of infrasound for infrastructure monitoring (bridges are of primary interest) beginning with a literature review and an overview of current operational considerations for infrasound for infrastructure monitoring developed at the U.S. Army Engineer Research and Development Center. A meta-analysis of bridge vibrational characteristics was completed following identification of a gap in the knowledge base in this area. This completed meta-analysis compared vibrational characteristics across multiple bridge types and construction materials to determine applicability of infrasound for detection and monitoring of each bridge type. With these considerations in mind, an experimental series involving a steel, two-girder bridge in northern California was completed using infrasound to detect natural modes of the structure and validated by on-structure accelerometers. The non-contact nature of this structural assessment approach has potential to supplement traditional structural assessment techniques as affordable, remote, persistent monitoring of transportation infrastructure. Upon completion of the original experimental series, the data were used to investigate the possibility of wide area monitoring using infrasound, including possible limitations and boundaries. Overall implications for use of this technology are also discussed for a multiple infrastructure types.

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Doctor of Philosophy / Department of Civil Engineering / Robert J. Peterman / Results of an extensive experimental program conducted to determine the material, bond characteristics, and time-dependent deformations of a proposed self-consolidating concrete (SCC) mixture for bridge girders are presented. This research program was completed in a three-step process. The first phase consisted of 15 full-scale, pretensioned SCC flexural specimens that were tested to evaluate their transfer and development lengths. These specimens included both single-strand and multiple-strand beams, as well as specimens designed to evaluate the so-called “top-strand" effect. The top-strand specimens, with more than 20 inches of concrete below the strand, were tested to evaluate the current American Association of State Highway Officials requirement of a 30% increase development length when the concrete below the strand is more than 12 inches. Strand end-slip measurements, used to estimate transfer lengths, indicated the proposed SCC mixture meets ACI and AASHTO requirements. In addition, flexural tests confirmed the proposed SCC mixture also meets current code requirements for development length. The second step was to evaluate the elastic shortening, creep, and shrinkage properties of the proposed SCC mixture for bridge girders. Four bridge girders with an inverted-T profile were used to measure these time-dependent deformations. In two of the specimens, the strands were tensioned to 75% of ultimate tensile strength (representing a girder that would be put into service). Strands of the other two specimens were left untensioned to evaluate shrinkage effect of the concrete alone. The shrinkage was then subtracted from the fully tensioned specimens and elastic shortening and creep were isolated after relaxation losses were calculated from code expressions. In addition, the fully tensioned specimens were used to determine transfer lengths of the prestressing strand. The final step in the program was to record strain measurements in actual bridge girders used in the field. Elastic shortening, creep, and shrinkage prestress loss results of the proposed SCC mixture were compared with current design equations. Instrumentation of seven pretensioned girders in a five-span bridge located in Cowley County, Kansas, was used to measure time-dependent deformations. Three of these girders utilized SCC, while the other four were cast with conventional concrete.

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<p>Today’s bridge design work in many cases demands a trustworthy dynamic analysis instead of using the traditional dynamic amplification factors. In this thesis a reliable 3D Bernoulli-Euler beam finite element model of the New Årsta Railway Bridge was prepared for thorough dynamic analysis using in situ bridge monitoring for correlation. The bridge is of the concrete box girder type with a heavily reinforced and prestressed bridge deck. The monitoring system was designed for long term monitoring with strain transducers embedded in the concrete and accelerometers mounted inside the edge beams and at the lower edge of the track slab.</p><p>The global finite element model used the exact bridge geometry but was simplified regarding prestressing cables and the two railway tracks. The prestressing cables and the tracks were consequently not included and an equivalent pure concrete model was identified.</p><p>A static macadam train load was eccentrically placed on one of the bridge’s two tracks. By using Vlasov’s torsional theory and thereby including constrained warping a realistic modulus of elasticity for the concrete without prestressing cables and stiffness contribution from the railway tracks was found. This was allowed by comparing measured strain from strain transducers with the linear elastic finite element model’s axial stresses. Mainly three monitoring bridge sections were used, each of which was modelled with plane strain finite elements subjected to sectional forces/moments from a static macadam train load and a separately calculated torsional curvature.</p><p>From the identified modulus of elasticity the global finite element model was updated for Poisson’s ratio and material density (mass) to correspond with natural frequencies from the performed signal analysis of accelerometer signals. The influence of warping on the natural frequencies of the global finite element model was assumed small and the bridge’s torsional behaviour was modelled to follow Saint-Venant’s torsional theory.</p><p>A first preliminary estimation of modal damping ratios was included. The results indicated that natural frequencies were in accordance between modelling and signal analysis results, especially concerning high energy modes. Estimated damping ratios for the first vibration modes far exceeded the lower limit value specified in bridge design codes and railway bridge dynamic analysis recommendations.</p>