Dynamic Response of Suspension Bridge to Typhoon and Trains. I: Field Measurement Results

A wind and structural health monitoring system (WASHMS) was installed in the Tsing Ma suspension bridge in Hong Kong in 1997. On September 16, 1999, Typhoon York, which was the strongest typhoon since 1983 and the typhoon of the longest duration on record, crossed over Hong Kong. All vehicles, except trains, were prohibited from running on the bridge for 2.5h. This event provided a distinctive opportunity to examine the existing analytical models for predicting dynamic response of long suspension bridges to high winds and running trains. The field measurement data recorded by the WASHMS during this event were therefore analyzed and the four particular cases were identified and discussed in this paper. The four particular cases identified included: (1) the bridge without any vehicles; (2) the bridge with one train; (3) the bridge with two trains running in opposite directions; and (4) the bridge with three running trains. The mean wind speed was almost perpendicular to the bridge alignment in the four cases to facilitate the comparison with analytical results. For each case, wind characteristics, bridge acceleration responses, and bridge displacement responses were analyzed using the measurement data from anemometers, accelerometers, and level sensing systems, respectively. The number of trains running on the bridge, train speed, and train location were also identified using the measurement data from strain gauges. The measurement results clearly demonstrated the dynamic behavior of the bridge with running trains during high winds. The measurement results obtained will also be used to verify the analytical model developed by the authors in the companion paper.