Experimental analysis of rotating bridge structural responses to existing railway train loads via time–frequency and Hilbert–Huang transform energy spectral analysis

Abstract

With the rapid development of national infrastructure projects, there has been a significant increase in intersecting lines in transportation construction. As a result, rotating bridges are increasingly used in engineering projects that span existing railway lines. In order to study the spatial response characteristics and vibration wave transmission mechanisms of the rotating bridge structure under the loading of existing railway trains, field experiments and numerical analyses were conducted. The response characteristics of these bridges were investigated under different types and speeds of adjacent existing lines. A comprehensive methodology has been proposed, integrating the time domain spectrum and the Hilbert–Huang Transform (HHT) energy spectrum for signal processing and vibration analysis. The analysis was carried out using MATLAB 2018a software. This methodology was applied to analyze the test data. The results show that significant resonance phenomenon occurs in the girders of the rotating bridge under the loading of trains on the existing line. The low-frequency component f1 (2–5 Hz) is the primary factor contributing to the amplification of the acceleration response in the rotating bridge, while f3 (10–13 Hz) plays a secondary role. The frequency distribution characteristics of vibration waves caused by train loads on the existing line have a significant influence on the acceleration response of the rotating bridge's girders. The predominant frequency of vibration waves at each measuring point along the transmission path shows a trend of decreasing → increasing → decreasing. The impact on the rotating bridge structure of vibration waves generated by low-speed freight trains on existing railways is greater. The research findings are of great importance for studying the dynamic response of rotating bridges adjacent to existing railway lines.