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Hybrid cable-stayed suspension bridges combine the advantages of cable-stayed and suspension bridges, mitigating their deficiencies. Due to its super spanning ability, this novel form of bridge enjoys a bright application prospect as a large-span structure. This study introduces an analytical algorithm to estimate the full-bridge response of a hybrid cable-stayed suspension bridge with a vertical uniformly distributed load applied to the main beam. This method is based on the assumption that all parameters, such as the geometric configuration, internal force distribution, and material properties, of the whole bridge under a dead load are known; then, it analyzes the full-bridge response under a live load. First, the minimum and independent basic unknown parameters of the full-bridge response are determined. Next, the governing equations are derived and solved based on the conservation of unstressed length of each section of cable, closure of span lengths and elevation difference in different spans, and conditions for stress balance of the main beam. Thus, the values of basic unknown parameters are obtained. Finally, they are substituted into the governing equations to estimate the full-bridge response, including each bridge component's internal forces and deflections. The proposed analytical method involves no iterative procedures when dealing with nonlinear problems but only focuses on the bridge's state with and without loading. The results are obtained directly by solving the equations, which have the advantages of high efficiency, simplicity, and clear physical meaning. Finally, the feasibility and effectiveness of the proposed method are verified by a finite-element-based calculation of an exemplary asymmetric cable-stayed suspension cooperation system bridge with a main span of 1400 m. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The boundary conditions of the main girder are complicated for suspension bridges. And they have a significant impact on the static and dynamic response of the structure. This study proposes a model updating method based on influence lines considering boundary conditions. First, rotational and translational spring elements are used to simulate the boundary conditions of the main girder. Then, rotational spring stiffness is estimated by constructing a sensitive objective function based on the influence lines. Translational spring stiffness is estimated by constructing a sensitive objective function based on the temperature-induced displacements at both ends of the girder. To improve calculation efficiency, a Gaussian process model is used instead of the finite element model (FEM). The estimation of boundary conditions is expressed as an optimization whose main goal is to iteratively estimate the boundary conditions to minimize the objective functions. After the boundary conditions are determined, the influence lines-based model updating is carried out by using the adaptive metamodel global optimization method. To validate the proposed method, a long-span suspension bridge is taken as a case study. The results show that the boundary conditions of the main girder have been successfully estimated. The accuracy of the model updating is improved after the boundary conditions are considered. The updated FEM with accurate boundary conditions can be a benchmark model for bridge damage identification or condition assessment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Based on the aerostatic force model under skew wind, considering the nonlinear and three-dimensional effects of aerostatic forces and also structural geometric nonlinearity, a method of three-dimensional nonlinear aerostatic stability analysis under skew wind is presented, and the corresponding computational procedure (SNAA-SW) is developed. By taking a suspension bridge- the Runyang suspension bridge over the Yangtze River as example, 3D nonlinear aerostatic stability analysis of the bridge under skew wind is conducted, and the skew wind effect on the aerostatic stability of long-span suspension bridges is ascertained. The results show that the skew wind effect does not change the aerostatic instability mode of suspension bridges, which shows a spatial bending-torsion coupled instability mode as the same as normal wind case. The skew wind has positive and negative effects on the aerostatic stability of suspension bridge under different wind attack angles, and the evolutions of critical wind speed of aerostatic instability with wind yaw angle are completely different from the cosine rule as proposed by the skew wind decomposition method, for most cases, the lowest critical wind speed of aerostatic instability occurs under skew wind. With the increase of wind yaw angle, the skew wind effect on the critical wind speed of aerostatic instability becomes more prominent, and the influence is between −10.7% and 8.1%. Therefore, the skew wind effect needs to be accurately considered in the aerostatic stability analysis of long-span suspension bridges in particular at large wind yaw angles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper investigates the track–bridge interactions of the Wufengshan Yangtze Bridge, the longest high-speed railway suspension bridge in China. A finite element model of the track and bridge is built using the commercial software ANSYS. The longitudinal additional forces of the track under a single effect and combination effects of temperature rising load, bending load, and braking load are calculated. The numerical results show that strong additional forces appear in the continuously welded rail of the Wufengshan Yangtze Bridge. Temperature effect is the dominant factor for the residual internal forces. The maximum tensile stress is 115.5 MPa and the extreme compressive stress reaches 329.9 MPa. Rail expansion joints are needed for this long-span suspension bridge. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Long-span suspension bridges are widely used in deep valleys, which face severe seismic risk. However, the potential saddle-cable frictional slippage under earthquake excitation as well as its influence on the seismic response of the whole suspension bridge has not yet been investigated. To investigate the effect of frictional slippage at the saddle-cable interface, this paper developed a nonlinear numerical model that considers the saddle-cable slippage. Another contrasting model with a non-slipping saddle-cable interface was used for quantitative comparison. Nonlinear dynamic analyses were conducted using these two models. The saddle-cable interfacial response indicated the realization of the frictional slippage at the saddle-cable interface under the maximum considered earthquake. The overall damage patterns, critical sectional performance, main girder drift, and energy dissipation were discussed in detail. Under the design based and maximum considered intensities, the saddle-cable slippage was seldom observed. The visible frictional slippage was encountered only at ultimate safety earthquake, which could be helpful to limit the transferred load, protect the pylon from yielding, and dissipate approximately 14% of the input seismic energy. While the slippage could not evidently affect the overall deformation pattern of the suspension bridge, as well as the response of bearings and central buckles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]