The Identification of Stress State of Critical Bridge Components Using Nonlinear Acoustics

This project will develop and demonstrate the application of nonlinear acoustics for identifying the stress state of critical highway bridge components through laboratory-scale and field testing. Work in Stage 1 will involve laboratory-scale demonstration of the proposed approach. Theoretical and numerical models will be developed to identify the most sensitive ultrasonic waves to the level of stress on structural steel. The selected ultrasonic waves will be tested on a wide-flange profile loaded uniaxially and a gusset plate loaded bi-axially. The load value will be increased incrementally, and the ultrasonic measurement will be taken at each loading step to develop a sensitivity curve of the stress-ultrasonic velocity relationship. Work in Stage 2 will involve field demonstration of the proposed approach based on the outcomes of Stage 1. A steel truss bridge provided by Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) will be modeled using a finite element program. Truss elements will be modeled using discrete elements; the gusset plate will be modeled as a two-dimensional plate element. The stress levels of the selected elements will be identified using numerical simulation. Field measurements, using the hand-held ultrasonic device, the ultrasonic setting, and the correlation curve developed in Stage 1, will be taken for comparison with the finite element results. The field results will be used to further refine the correlation curve. Additionally, the required hardware variables for implementing the methodology into automated processing of the hand-held device will be identified and discussed with the instrument manufacturer. The outcome of this final stage will be the demonstration of the proposed approach in a real-life testing situation in the field.

• Record URL:
  http://apps.trb.org/cmsfeed/TRBNetProjectDisplay.asp?ProjectID=3347

Language

• English

Project

• Status: Active
• Funding: $91643.00
• Contract Numbers:

  Project 20-30, IDEA

• Sponsor Organizations:

  Federal Highway Administration

  1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE
  Washington, DC  United States  20590

  American Association of State Highway & Transportation Officials (AASHTO)

  444 North Capitol Street, NW, Suite 225
  Washington, DC  United States  20001

  National Cooperative Highway Research Program

  Transportation Research Board
  500 Fifth Street, NW
  Washington, DC  United States  20001
• Project Managers:

  Jawed, Inam

• Performing Organizations:

  University of Illinois at Chicago

  ,    
• Principal Investigators:

  Ozevin, Didem

• Start Date: 20141211
• Expected Completion Date: 0
• Actual Completion Date: 0
• Source Data: RiP Project 38364

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Bridge members; Finite element method; Highway bridges; Sensitivity analysis; Stresses; Structural steel; Truss bridges; Ultrasonics
• Geographic Terms: Virginia
• Subject Areas: Bridges and other structures; Highways; Maintenance and Preservation;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 01547632
• Record Type: Research project
• Source Agency: Transportation Research Board
• Contract Numbers: Project 20-30, IDEA
• Files: TRB, RIP
• Created Date: Dec 12 2014 1:00AM