Evaluación experimental y verificación teórica de la respuesta dinámica de uno de los puentes de Nulti, ubicados en la abscisa 7+670 de la autopista Cuenca-Azogues

Abstract

In recent years, the construction of bridges and their importance of these structures in the country's infrastructure has increased, thus creating the need to monitor their structural integrity, detect changes caused by possible damages, serving as a basis for future maintenance plans. This paper presents the evaluation experience applied to the Nulti bridges located on the 7 + 670 abscissa of the Cuenca-Azogues highway, in order to determine the possible presence of damage. Damage is defined as changes in material and/or geometric, dynamic properties, including changes in boundary conditions and system connectivity. Based on the design information of the bridges, the evaluation plan was proposed, which consisted of a visual inspection, topographic survey to determine its deformations, consequently the mathematical modeling of the structure, and finally a field monitoring of the Bridge response to normal operating conditions. This monitoring, calling the measurement technique of environmental vibrations, being one of the non-destructive techniques used to characterize the dynamic properties of the structure, was carried out in the field and later processed using techniques such as Fourier analysis. stochastic signals, that is, in discrete time, obtaining dynamic parameters of interest such as fundamental period and damping. As a result of this study, the current deformations and experimental dynamic parameters were obtained from the field activities; and the deformations and the period as one of the dynamic parameters from the mathematical modeling, using the recommendations of the AASHTO standard. Finally, the respective comparisons of the experimental and theoretical results are considered, and emphasis is placed on the variation of the dynamic parameters as the main indicator of damage to the bridge structure, adding, the comparison of the current deformation with those already made in years previous.