Assessment & Analysis of Service Performance for Small-Span Suspension Bridge with Steel Truss Girders

Most of the short span suspension bridges with steel truss girders early constructed will approach their design service life. Correctly evaluating the actual service performance is the basic basis of repairing, strengthening and technical reconstruction. First, load-bearing capacity evaluation based on static load test was briefly introduced. Then, combined with Chengnan bridge, the main existing damages and their causations of the bridge were summarized and analyzed. Based on the field detection datum and original design load grade, the finite element mode with some damages was established. Then, by analyzing the calculation results, the scheme of static load test was confirmed. Through comparing the static load test results with the results of upgraded finite element, the actual conditions of the existing bridge structure were evaluated. In order to resume its load-bearing capacity, some of measurements and suggestions of strengthening were proposed.