Calibration of a laboratory timber bridge finite element model using the experimental modal data

In recent years, a great deal of attention has been focused on the condition and safety of aging timber bridges in Australia. Vibration-based damage identification techniques to detect structural deterioration at an early stage have significant potential to reduce the costs and down-time associated with repair of damaged members as well as enhancing the safety and reliability of timber bridges. In this paper, the process of developing and calibrating a scale timber bridge, which accurately simulates the behaviour of a "real" bridge under laboratory conditions, is presented. A finite element (FE) model has been developed and calibrated with experimental modal data. The FE model shows acceptable correlations when compared to the experimental data, with minor adjustment of the actual material properties. It forms a tool for predicting the behaviour of the damaged laboratory bridge, as well as potential identification of damage in real timber bridges.