Investigation on effects of temperature and wind on expansion joints with monitoring data

Expansion joints are important components in cable-supported bridges, which are prone to premature failures due to ever-changing harsh environment. In order to investigate the damage reasons in expansion joints, Structural Health Monitoring (SHM) data of a cable-stayed bridge and a suspension bridge are utilized, and effects of temperature and wind are studied. Firstly, correlation analysis is conducted between girder temperature and girder-end longitudinal displacement of the two bridges. Then, displacement characteristics are compared, which shows that the suspension bridge has a much larger cumulative girder-end displacement. Secondly, the girder end displacement of the cable-stayed bridge is investigated during a strong typhoon, to identify the influences of wind direction and wind speed. Finally, conclusions based on the investigation of expansion joints are presented. The SHM based analysis could provide insights for bridge owners to perform more reasonable maintenance.