Advanced Dynamic analysis of the response of Bridges.

• Types of Bridges
• Reasons for Bridge failure
• Bridge design considerations through the ages and its shortcomings.
• Instabilities caused by wind action, traffic and ageing.
• The history of bridge damage and failures.
• Damage detection using advanced methods.
• Bridge maintenance – including loose connections and suspension bridge checking.
• Accurate measure of the natural frequencies and damping of bridges and the risk ratio to quantify damage for bi-annual inspections.
• Practical information about bridge response.

Learning Objectives

• On completion of this course the attendee will have a good knowledge of approaches to bridge design and the history of changes to bridge design through the ages, including the response to increased knowledge of bridge behavior and the use of modern design methods such as the use of mathematical models and wind tunnels to add understanding of the potential development of instabilities.
• The course then considers what has caused failures in bridges of various types and of the techniques to identify the onset of indicators of damage that may develop to failure modes, and the use of preventive maintenance that will avoid the full development of failure modes caused by ageing, instabilities, overloading and impact from boats.
• Additionally, the effects of scour on bridges over water are considered.
• The use of the measurement of the dynamic characteristics is then considered in detail, and the evolution of the design to withstand wind forces over the last 70 years is considered.
• Finally, the real response of bridges in the field is considered, with attention given to various activities that may adversely affect bridges (such as the siting of a new parallel bridge as a replacement).