Sensitivity and analysis GPS signals based bridge damage using GPS observations and wavelet transform

This paper uses GPS monitoring system on the Yonghe Bridge. After a year from re-construction of this bridge, cracks were pronounced 48.2 m far from the beginning of the abutment. To analyze the movements of bridge tower, the current operational safety, the cause of bridge cracks and sensitivity of GPS signals, and its movements were observed under different stress factors such as wind speed, temperature change and traffic loads. The observed lateral, longitudinal of bridge's towers were studied. Two analytical methods namely; DWT and FT were used for the analysis of observation data. The analysis of test results indicates that: (1) The SIFT is a significant step forward from the traditional FFT in terms of structural response analysis. (2) The sensitivity of GPS signals does not depend on the position of GPS antenna; and (3) the cracks of bridge deck bring out the frequency of the bridge tower movement transient characteristics. Published by Elsevier Ltd.