Experimental research of cable tension tuning of a scaled model of cable stayed bridge

The paper describes the idea and the algorithms of a method for reducing the resonant vibration of the cables in a footbridge. The method relies on change of the static tension in chosen cables of the footbridge. The changes in static tension are introduced when resonance vibration occurs. The paper delineates empirical research employed to experimentally verify the numerical prediction. It has been demonstrated that it is possible to select some stay cables in which applicable change in static tension force value ensures amplitude reduction of forced resonance oscillations of any cable of the whole system. The choice of cables and the magnitude of tension change in them were based on the sensitivity analysis of an eigenproblem formulated in accordance with second order theory. The experimental research was designed to demonstrate practical effectiveness of amplitude reduction of stay cable resonant vibration method. A physical laboratory model of the footbridge was built in compliance with dimensional analysis on a scale of 1:10. Operational Modal Analysis (OMA) method was applied to identifying modal characteristic of a footbridge model.