A novel solution for dynamic behaviors of multi-span bridge plates

The present paper draws a comprehensive analysis of the free vibration characteristics and discusses modal localization phenomena of multi-span bridge plate structures through an analytical method, numerical simulations, and experimental measurements. A novel analytical solution using the generalized superposition segment method (GSSM) is first proposed to investigate the transverse vibration of a multi-span bridge, which offers complete flexibility in describing arbitrarily classical boundary conditions. Furthermore, a new experimental setup achieves precisely simply supported boundary conditions, and scaled physical models of two- and three-span bridge plates are employed to validate the analytical solution. The effect of span length mismatch is studied by analyzing the resonant frequencies and mode shapes of a multi-span bridge plate with varying span lengths. The good consistency of results by theoretical analysis, numerical simulation, and experimental measurements indicate that the proposed analytical solution can solve the vibration problem of the multi-span bridge plate efficiently and reflect the real-world boundary condition. Finally, the two modal localization behaviors are observed in theoretical analysis and experimental measurement. Through analytical solutions, numerical simulations, and experimental measurements, this study enhances the understanding of the dynamic behavior of multi-span bridges. It provides a new theoretical benchmark for predicting vibrations of multi-span bridge systems and useful insights into the transient behavior of multi-span bridge plates, suggesting several fruitful avenues for future research, including exploring passive and active control systems and vibration suppression techniques.