Rehabilitation of the Dalian Northern Suspension Bridge

Abstract

Abstract This paper presents a case study of rehabilitation works carried out on the Dalian North Suspension Bridge in China. The bridge, built in 1985, has three spans with simply supported stiffening trusses and earth-anchorage system. Over time, the suspension bridge suffered from a considerable variation of configurations and serious degradation of structural components, which directly affected the load-resistance mechanism and endangered the safety of the bridge. A comprehensive scheme was proposed to adjust structural configurations including the reduction of dead load, the tension of the main cables and the length adjustment of hangers. As for the degraded components, maintenance and replacing works were carried out. On-site measurement and detailed finite element model (FEM) analysis were used to evaluate rehabilitation performance. Through applying the proposed scheme, the Dalian North Suspension Bridge was successfully transferred to a structure that met the demand for safety, serviceability and durability.