The Dynamic Properties of the Bridge Deck Model Reinforced With FRP Bars

Rzeszow University of Technology, Department of Structural Mechanics, Rzeszow, Poland

^a e-mail: gpiatkowski@prz.edu.pl

Abstract

Significant application of composites can be observed in numerous fields over the last decades. Composite materials mainly used in the aeronautics industry are gaining more and more application in various areas such as the construction of bridges. The article presents a set of dynamic research carried out on a plate made of lightweight concrete reinforced with composite rods. The tested plate with dimensions 514 × 190 × 18 cm was a model of the actual bridge deck. A multi-channel signal recorder with specialized software was used for performing the measurements and estimating modal parameters of the plate. Dynamic response of the plate on a modal hammer impact was measured with numerous of piezoelectric acceleration sensors. A range of FEM models was created, started with 1-D beam model. Next, 2-D plate and 3-D volume, more complex models were developed. Only in the 3-D model the composite rods were modeled. The basic frequencies and mode shapes obtained for physical model were compared with those for numerical models. There were significant differences. The conducted analysis indicated more complicated than theoretical boundary conditions of the tested plate.