Dynamic Characteristics of Tsing Ma Suspension Bridge

Abstract

Numerical simulation was carried out to determine the dynamic properties of the Tsing Ma Suspension Bridge. Both the structure as a whole and individual subcomponents were modeled. Classical analytical solutions for simplified models from the available literature were compared with the results obtained from a finite-element code. Quantitative results for static deflection, natural frequencies, and mode shapes were compared with analytical solutions from linear theory. Out-of-plane modes were shown to be dominant. For in-plane antisymmetric and symmetric bending modes, in which the suspension cable and bridge deck vibrate in the same direction, the natural frequency of the main span of the bridge is determined to be approximately equal to the square root of the sum of the squares of the frequencies of the cable and bridge deck.