Structural identification, damage detection by non-destructive tests and determining axial loads in cables

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Tezin Türü: Yüksek Lisans

Tezin Yürütüldüğü Kurum: Orta Doğu Teknik Üniversitesi, Mühendislik Fakültesi, İnşaat Mühendisliği Bölümü, Türkiye

Tezin Onay Tarihi: 2009

Öğrenci: MUSTAFA CAN YÜCEL

Danışman: AHMET TÜRER

Özet:

Damage and condition identification of existing structures using non-destructive tests is a common challenge that has been worked on for a long time. In this study, two different methods were developed to find existing force on cables as well as determine bending characteristics (EI coefficients) of beam like structures (such as bridges). Comparing forces in symmetrically placed cables or against values obtained from design drawings would indicate structural imbalance as well as finding EI coefficients at a number of segments on a bridge girder might indicate weak regions that might possibly have undergone structural damage, having weak connections, lost composite action etc. With the help of the proposed algorithm, the stiffness parameters of bridges can be assessed and the location of any damage that is in the magnitude which can affect displacement behavior of system can be located. The developed methods are demonstrated using the values analytically obtained from the created models and the effectiveness of the algorithm is criticized. Furthermore, several damage scenarios on a scaled lab beam was used to test the application using real experimental data; including tests on undamaged beam (for identification) and tests on the damaged beam. Additional experiments were conducted on a cable stretched in the laboratory instrumented using a load cell to measure instantaneous axial load on the cable and compare these values against the values obtained from the developed tension measurement device. The results are compared and conclusions are derived.