Influence of Corrosion on Dynamic Behavior of Pedestrian Steel Bridges—Case Study

Corrosion directly affects the structural stiffness of a steel element, reducing the thickness, thus inertia, due to the gradual deterioration of the material. Quickly identifying corrosion damage to the stiffness of a steel structure is a challenge in coastal environments since corrosion progresses rapidly, and traditional methods of inspection and diagnosis are time-consuming and costly. This is an important issue; therefore, characterization of the corrosion level represents a key element in making decisions regarding maintenance or structural integrity. This work estimates the relationship between the corrosion level in steel structures and their dynamic parameters using ambient vibration records. It comprises the characterization of the dynamic behavior and corrosion state of three full-scale pedestrian bridges with similar geometry, material, and structural configuration characteristics but with significant differences in the degree of deterioration. The structures were instrumented with piezoelectric sensors connected to a portable data acquisition system; the recorded information was analyzed with optimization algorithms in Python based on the power spectral density (PSD) of the vibrations of each bridge. The parameters obtained related to the degree of corrosion determine the incidence of the level of deterioration in the structural behavior, thus involving changes in its stiffness and mass.

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