Damage Detection in Gusset Plates of Steel Truss Bridges using Modal Parameters: Experimental and Numerical Study
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.9744/ced.27.2.225-238Keywords:
corrosion, damage detection, modal based methods, SHM, truss bridgeAbstract
Corrosion in gusset plate elements has become a critical factor in bridge structural failures, emphasizing the need for more accurate and reliable damage detection methods. Conventional visual inspections are limited in precision and cannot provide real-time monitoring, underscoring the importance of advanced techniques. This study proposes a vibration-based Structural Health Monitoring (SHM) approach employing modal parameter indices, namely Mode Shape (MS), Mode Shape Curvature (MSC), Mode Shape Slope (MSS), and Mode Shape Curvature Square (MSCS), to detect damage in bridge components. Damage scenarios were simulated by introducing gusset plate cuts of 5%, 10%, and 20% to represent different levels of corrosion. The results indicate that MSC and MSCS are the most reliable methods for identifying damage locations in complex structural systems, as they capture mode shape alterations with high sensitivity. Furthermore, the accuracy of modal parameter analysis improves with increasing damage severity. These findings confirm MSC and MSCS as robust tools for early-stage corrosion detection in SHM applications.
References
Liao, M., Okazaki, T., Ballarini, R., Schultz, A.E., and Galambos, T.V., Nonlinear Finite-Element Analysis of Critical Gusset Plates in the I-35W Bridge in Minnesota, Journal of Structural Engineering, 137(1), 2011, pp. 59–68.
Astaneh-Asl, A., Progressive Collapse of Steel Truss Bridges: The Case of I-35W Collapse, Proceedings of the 7th International Conference on Steel Bridges, 2008, pp. 1–10.
Wijaya, G.B. and Pacuribot, N., Condition Assessment of the Deteriorated Reinforced Concrete Bridge, Civil Engineering Dimension, 19(2), 2017, pp. 111–120.
An, Y., Chatzi, E., Sim, S.H., Laflamme, S., Blachowski, B., and Ou, J., Recent Progress and Future Trends on Damage Identification Methods for Bridge Structures, Structural Control and Health Monitoring, 26(10), 2019, pp. 1–30.
Bernardini, L., Carnevale, M., and Collina, A., Damage Identification in Warren Truss Bridges by Two Different Time–Frequency Algorithms, Applied Sciences, 11(22), 2021.
Chang, K. and Kim, C., Modal-parameter Identification and Vibration-based Damage Detection of a Damaged Steel Truss Bridge, Engineering Structures, 122, 2016, pp. 156–173.
Nick, H. and Aziminejad, A., Vibration-based Damage Identification in Steel Girder Bridges using Artificial Neural Network under Noisy Conditions, Journal of Nondestructive Evaluation, 40(1), 2021, pp. 1–22.
Yan, Y.J., Cheng, L., Wu, Z.Y., and Yam, L.H., Development in Vibration-based Structural Damage Detection Technique, Mechanical Systems and Signal Processing, 21(5), 2007, pp. 2198–2211.
Fan, W. and Qiao, P., Vibration-based Damage Identification Methods: A Review and Comparative Study, Structural Health Monitoring, 10(1), 2016, pp. 83–111.
Moradipour, P., Chan, T.H.T., and Gallage, C., Benchmark Studies for Bridge Health Monitoring using An Improved Modal Strain Energy Method, Procedia Engineering, 188, 2017, pp. 194–200.
Lee, S. and Kalos, N., Bridge Inspection Practices using Non-Destructive Testing Methods, Journal of Civil Engineering and Management, 21(5), 2015, pp. 654–665.
Comisu, C., Taranu, N., Boaca, G., and Scutaru, M., Structural Health Monitoring System of Bridges, Procedia Engineering, 199, 2017, pp. 2054–2059.
Farrar, C.R. and Worden, K., An Introduction to Structural Health Monitoring, Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society A: Mathematical, Physical and Engineering Sciences, 365(1851), 2007, pp. 303–315.
Manoach, E., Warminski, J., Kloda, L., and Teter, A., Vibration based Methods for Damage Detection in Structures, MATEC Web of Conferences, 83, 2016, pp. 1-8.
Zhou, Z., Wegner, L.D., and Sparling, B.F., Structural Health Monitoring of Precast Concrete Box Girders using Selected Vibration-based Damage Detection Methods, Journal of Sensors, 2010, pp. 1–11.
Frans, R., Arfiadi, Y., and Parung, H., Comparative Study of Mode Shapes Curvature and Damage Locating Vector Methods for Damage Detection of Structure, Procedia Engineering, 171, 2017, pp. 1263–1271.
Janeliukstis, R., Ručevskis, S., and Kaewunruen, S., Mode Shape Curvature Squares Method for Crack Detection in Railway Prestressed Concrete Sleepers, Engineering Failure Analysis, 105, 2019, pp. 386–401.
Ručevskis, S. and Wesolowski, M., Identification of Damage in A Beam Structure by using Mode Shape Curvature Squares, Shock and Vibration, 17(4–5), 2010, pp. 601–610.
Omar, F., et al., Global Methodology for Damage Detection and Localization in Civil Engineering Structures, Engineering Structures, 171, 2018, pp. 686–695.
Awaludin, A., Making, M.Y.M., Ikhsan, M.N., and Adiyuano, Y., Performance of a Cold Formed Steel Pedestrian Bridge under Static and Dynamic Loads, Civil Engineering Dimension, 23(2), 2021, pp. 108–114.
Wahab, M.M.A., and De Roeck, G., Damage Detection in Bridges using Modal Curvatures: Application to A Real Damage Scenario, Journal of Sound and Vibration, 226(2), 1999, pp. 217–235.
Bien, P.E.J. and Zwolski, C.E.J., Dynamic Tests in Bridge Monitoring: Systematics and Applications, Conference Proceedings of the Society for Experimental Mechanics Series, June 2007, pp. 1-10.
Li, J. and Hao, H., Damage Detection of Gusset Plate Condition in Truss Bridges based on Wavelet Packet Energy Percentage, Proceedings of the 8th International Conference on Structural Health Monitoring of Intelligent Infrastructure, 2016, pp. 249–255.
Koto, Y., Konishi, T., Sekiya, H., and Miki, C., Monitoring Local Damage due to Fatigue in Plate Girder Bridge, Journal of Sound and Vibration, 438, 2019, pp. 238–250.
Salem, H.M. and Helmy, H.M., Numerical Investigation of Collapse of the Minnesota I-35W Bridge, Engineering Structures, 59, 2014, pp. 635–645.
Nainggolan, R., Perangin-Angin, R., Simarmata, E., and Tarigan, A.F., Improved the Performance of the K-Means Cluster using the Sum of Squared Error (SSE) Optimized by using the Elbow Method, Journal of Physics: Conference Series, 1361(1), 2019.
Downloads
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2025 Heppy Kristijanto, Dita Kamarul Fitriyah, Ahmad Basshofi Habieb

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
Authors who publish with this journal agree to the following terms:- Authors retain the copyright and publishing right, and grant the journal right of first publication with the work simultaneously licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution License that allows others to share the work with an acknowledgement of the work's authorship and initial publication in this journal.
- Authors are able to enter into separate, additional contractual arrangements for the non-exclusive distribution of the journal's published version of the work (e.g., post it to an institutional repository or publish it in a book), with an acknowledgement of its initial publication in this journal.
- Authors are permitted and encouraged to post their work online (e.g., in institutional repositories or on their website) followingthe publication of the article, as it can lead to productive exchanges, as well as earlier and greater citation of published work (See The Effect of Open Access).