Damage identification of a large-span concrete cable-stayed bridge based on genetic algorithm

Abstract

The global stability of a structure, the stiffness of its main girder and concrete tower, and the variation of the forces of its stay cables are key issues to the safety assessment of an in-service cable-stayed bridge. The efficiency and rationality of local elaborate non-damage-identification could be enhanced by the primary damage identification of cable-stayed bridges on the basis of periodic detection of the cable force and strain monitor in key sections of the main girder. The genetic algorithms of damage identification for cable-stayed bridges were investigated in this paper on the basis of the monitor data of the cable force and strain in a key section of the main girder. A damage detection program for complex civil structure was generated to implement the identification of damage location and extent. The deterioration of the structure was calculated according to the variation of monitor data. It is demonstrated that the results of damage identification from the parametric finite element method are accurate. The method had been verified using a long-span concrete cable-stayed bridge in Ningbo, which has been in use for the past four years.