Numerical Modeling to Support the Development of Structural Damage Detection Systems in Prestressed Concrete Bridges

This thesis advances the field of structural engineering by developing a robust numerical model to simulate the behavior of prestressed concrete beams, focusing specifically on the dynamics of steel tendon breakage. Employing the Finite Element Method (FEM) through LS-DYNA, the present study integrates both implicit and explicit analysis methods to achieve a detailed representation of steel and concrete interactions under stress conditions. The research begins with the application of prestress to the steel tendon, followed by an implicit analysis aimed at establishing a static solution for the interaction between the steel tendon and the concrete beam. This phase is critical for understanding the pre-failure stress distribution within the beam. Subsequently, an explicit analysis introduces a simulated tendon rupture, utilizing a cohesive contact model to effectively simulate the slippage effect between steel and concrete. This model accounts for realistic interaction dynamics, crucial for assessing the structural integrity under failure conditions. The explicit phase is particularly focused on capturing the propagation of stress waves following tendon breakage, a phenomenon that has significant implications for real-time structural health monitoring and predictive maintenance. Through the results, findings suggest the following conclusions: FEM as a Predictive Tool: FEM proves to be an effective approach for generating synthetic scenarios of steel tendon breakage. This technique accurately maintains the physics of the stress wave propagation, ensuring that the simulated data closely resemble potential real-life behaviors in prestressed beams. Insights into Structural Dynamics: The model’s ability to depict the immediate aftermath of tendon breakages provides critical insights into the dynamic responses of prestressed concrete structures, offering potential pathways to enhance structural monitoring and maintenance practices. The methodologies and anticipated findings from this thesis contribute to a broader understanding of structural responses to critical stress conditions, providing a valuable dataset for the development of enhanced monitoring technologies. These technologies are aimed at detecting and responding to failures in real-time, thereby improving the safety and durability of critical infrastructure elements.