High-resolution frequency domain decomposition for modal analysis of bridges using train-induced free-vibrations

Modal parameters are structural inherent characteristics that can be applied for revealing performance of railway bridges. Free vibration signals generated by a passage of train are commonly utilized to estimate the modal parameters of railway bridges due to their higher signal-to-noise ratios compared to random vibrations caused by ambient loads. However, since free vibration signals rapidly decay over time, the available free-vibration data is typically short-time. When using the fast Fourier transform-based spectral estimation method for modal identification from short-time vibration data, a phenomenon known as spectral leakage occurs, leading to miss-identification of some structural modes. In this study, the classical frequency domain decomposition (FDD) is improved for modal identification of railway bridges, in which the higher resolution auto-power spectral density (PSD) and cross-PSD functions are calculated through the autoregressive (AR) model-based method. The AR model-based method improves both the smoothness and resolution of the PSD functions compared to the fast Fourier transform technique. These AR model-based PSD functions are then employed in the FDD process to facilitate frequency and mode shape identification while avoiding spurious noise modes. The proposed eigenvalue fitting technique is subsequently utilized to estimate damping ratios. Numerical simulation data as well as vibration data from an actual bridge are analyzed to validate the proposed method, with a comparison made to the Welch’s PSD-based method. The results demonstrate that the modified FDD approach enables more effective identification of structural modes, even in the presence of closely-spaced modes.