Bridge Bearings & Structural Health Monitoring

View larger image Figure 1. A circular laminated elastomeric bearing on a pier cap, instrumented with displacement transducers straddling the bearing and additional sensors on the pier face. The rubber cover bulges between the internal steel shim planes. Whether a lead core is buried inside… Read more

Huntsville University Drive Bridge Vibration

This bridge, near the University of Alabama in Huntsville, was built so that pedestrians and cyclists could safety cross over the road. The support structures on either end have both stairs and gentle ramps. The bridge’s fundamental frequency is 2.2 Hz with 0.16% damping. The… Read more

Tacoma Narrows Bridge

The original Tacoma Narrows Bridge was opened to traffic on July 1, 1940. It was located in Washington State, near Puget Sound. Strong winds caused the bridge to collapse on November 7, 1940. Initially, 35 mile per hour winds excited the bridge’s transverse vibration mode,… Read more