Citation :

Mahendra Kumar H M, G P Chandradhar, Vinayak Naik, "Experimental and Numerical Free Vibration Analysis of a Four-Span Voided-Slab Integral Bridge," International Journal of Civil Engineering, vol. 13, no. 4, pp. 155-165, 2026. Crossref, https://doi.org/10.14445/23488352/IJCE-V13I4P112

Abstract

The study of the dynamic behaviour of bridges becomes critical for ensuring the safety and serviceability, as well as seismic resilience. The natural frequency is a key parameter governing vibration response; however, it is often an unknown parameter for in-service bridges, particularly in integral bridges where soil-structure interaction alters stiffness. This study presents an integrated experimental and numerical investigation of the free vibration characteristics of a four-span voided slab integral bridge located at the test location. Field tests involved introducing free vibration through controlled truck loading and recording free vibration data using sensitive accelerometers placed on the deck slab. The acceleration time histories were processed using DEWESoft and OriginPro to extract the prevalent frequency peaks via Fast Fourier Transform. To evaluate the influence of soil–structure interaction, corresponding finite-element modelling was carried out in MIDAS Civil using both fixed-abutment and soil-spring boundary conditions. Experimental results revealed that the bridge exhibits natural frequencies between 8 and 10 Hz, which is closely related to the numerically obtained frequency of 7.3–11.5 Hz for the first four modes. The inclusion of soil springs reduced the predicted frequencies by 10% to 25%. The study highlighted the importance of field-based dynamic characteristics for validating computational models and provides insight into the design and seismic assessment of integral bridges.

Keywords

Integral bridges, Free vibration analysis, Natural frequency, Experimental modal testing, Soil–structure interaction, Eigenvalue analysis, MIDAS Civil.

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