Experiment on the Behavior of a Self-Anchored Suspension and Cable-Stayed Hybrid Bridge during Structural Transformation

The Longgang Bridge in Shaanxi, China, is a complex continuous hybrid structure composed of two cable-stayed self-anchored suspension parts and one single-pylon cable-stayed part. A 1:20-scaled model was established due to the effect of multiple structural transformation, frequent internal force changes during the construction process, and differences between actual material parameters and theoretical calculation parameters. In this paper, the design, materials, counterweight, experimental instrumentation, and construction stages of the scaled model are introduced. Based on the experimental data, the nonlinear behavior of the self-anchored suspension and cable-stayed hybrid bridge during the structural transformation of the construction process is systematically and comprehensively studied. The evolutions of the hanger force and stayed cable force, the variation in the subcable and back-cable forces, the displacement characteristics of the suspension cable and the deflection of the stiffened girder are analyzed, and the relationships among these variables in different states of the structural system are discussed. This paper will serve as a technical reference for the construction of similar bridges in the future.