Employing response surface method, the complicated implicit relationship between bridge structural static-load responses and structural parameters is approximately represented by the simple explicit function. Based on this response surface model (function), the structural finite element model parameters can be easily updated by selected optimization procedure. By a numerical example of a two-span continuous beam, the essential theory and implementation of structural static response surface based finite element model updating are presented in the paper.

A method for continuous box-girder bridge structure finite element (FE) model updating based on static-load testing is proposed. The procedure includes field static-load testing, FE modeling, FE model (parameter) updating, etc. Based on this procedure, the structure FE model updating for an expressway 5-span pre-stressed concrete continuous box-girder bridge is conducted. And the bridge structure static FE model, which is consistent with the static-load testing actual measure response, is gained. The updated FE model (parameter) is foundation of structural performance evaluation for the bridge.