Assessment of historic stone arch bridge characterisation: experiments and numerical model

The importance of historic stone arch bridges in Korea is based on their very long period of use and their ability to change the landscape. The inherent variations in a bridge's constituent materials, its deterioration over time and other types of damage directly affect the structural response of these heritage structures. In order to characterise the structural components and behaviour of a masonry arch bridge in Korea, a series of full-scale experiments including dynamic measurements, non-destructive tests and advanced geomatics techniques were conducted. Three-dimensional (3D) models of Hongye-gyo Bridge were created using commercial finite-element (FE) software and various modifications were also made to enhance the computer model. Using experimental and numerical results obtained with advanced technologies, a rational definition of the material properties and structural geometry was simulated with a 3D FE model. It was found that, despite the complexity of masonry stone arch bridges, reasonable assumptions of material properties and the friction angle between the voussoir's interfaces enable a good prediction of a bridges’ actual performance with a margin of 12%.