Skip to main content

Advertisement

SpringerLink
Log in

Structural health monitoring and fatigue life reliability assessment of a flexible structure in extreme wind

  • Application Based
  • Published:
Journal of Civil Structural Health Monitoring Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Many failures of cantilever traffic signal structures have been reported in the USA in the past two decades, which have revealed the vulnerability of such structures to wind force and created a need to study their wind-induced behavior and fatigue performance. Previous studies have provided a thorough understanding on the wind-induced behavior of traffic signal structures in regular wind conditions. However, the wind-induced behavior of such structures in the extreme wind conditions has never been studied before. In this study, a cantilever traffic signal structure was selected for long-term monitoring. It was the first time that a traffic signal structure was monitored during a derecho, which has a wind speeds of more than 240 miles and wind gust at least 58 mph. In the first part of the study, the monitoring data during the August 2020 Iowa Derecho were analyzed to understand its wind-induced behavior in extreme wind conditions and the monitoring stress data were used to evaluate the wind speeds could possibly create fatigue damage on the structure. In the second part of the study, to more accurately quantify the fatigue damage on the structure, a data-driven algorithm for estimating fatigue life and reliability of wind-excited structures was proposed. The monitoring stress data in both regular and extreme wind conditions were used to develop fatigue damage model, which addressed the issue of insufficient monitoring data at high wind speeds from previous studies. Fatigue life was then estimated by combining the fatigue damage model and the local wind speed probability. In reliability analysis, uncertainties were considered as the wind speed probability, the fatigue resistance of the mast arm base, and Miner’s sum, and Monte Carlo simulations were conducted to generate a probability-of-failure curve. Finally, to demonstrate the algorithm, wind speed probability data from three cities in Iowa were used to estimate the fatigue life and reliability. The proposed data-driven algorithm could be widely used on other wind-excited structures, and the results from reliability analysis can serve as a reference in determining the period of regular maintenance for such structures.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4
Fig. 5
Fig. 6
Fig. 7
Fig. 8
Fig. 9
Fig. 10
Fig. 11
Fig. 12
Fig. 13
Fig. 14
Fig. 15
Fig. 16
Fig. 17
Fig. 18

Similar content being viewed by others

Data availability

The data is available upon written request from corresponding author.

References

  1. AASHTO (2015) LRFD specifications for structural supports for highway signs, luminaires, and traffic signals. Aashto. https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-12-164491-8.50013-0

    Article  Google Scholar 

  2. Al Shboul KW, Rasheed HA, Alshareef HA (2021) Intelligent approach for accurately predicting fatigue damage in overhead highway sign structures. Structures 34:3453–3463 (Elsevier)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  3. Alipour A, Sarkar P, Tsai L-W, Jafari M (2020) Development of a novel aerodynamic solution to mitigate large vibrations in traffic signal structures

  4. Arabi S, Shafei B, Phares BM (2018) Fatigue analysis of sign-support structures during transportation under road-induced excitations. Eng Struct 164:305–315

    Article  Google Scholar 

  5. Arabi S, Shafei B, Phares BM (2019) Investigation of fatigue in steel sign-support structures under diurnal temperature changes. J Constr Steel Res 153:286–297

    Article  Google Scholar 

  6. Bannantine J, Comer J, Hanndrock J (1990) Fundamentals of metal fatigue analysis (Book). Research Supported by the University of Illinois. Prentice Hall, Englewood Cliffs, NJ, pp 286

  7. Chen G, Wu J, Yu J, Dharani LR, Barker M (2001) Fatigue assessment of traffic signal mast arms based on field test data under natural wind gusts. Transp Res Rec 1770(1):188–194

    Article  Google Scholar 

  8. Choi H (2017) Fatigue Life Evaluation of high-mast lighting tower (HMLT) and aluminum poles for traffic signals and luminaires. (December 2016). https://doi.org/10.13140/RG.2.2.30349.13283

  9. Choi H, Najm H (2018) Fatigue reliability assessment of potential crack initiation of tube-to-transverse plate connections for cantilever sign support structures. J Perform Constr Facil 32(2):04018002

    Article  Google Scholar 

  10. Cruzado HJ, Letchford CW (2007) Risk assessment model for wind-induced fatigue failure of cantilever traffic signal structures. Civil Engineering, Ph. D. https://ttu-ir.tdl.org/ttu-ir/bitstream/handle/2346/9718/Cruzado_Hector_Diss.pdf

  11. Diekfuss JA, Asce AM, Foley CM, Asce F (2016) Detail categories for reliability-based fatigue evaluation of mast-arm sign support structures. J Struct Eng 142(7):1–9. https://doi.org/10.1061/(ASCE)ST.1943-541X.0001498

    Article  Google Scholar 

  12. Ding J, Chen X, Zuo D, Hua J (2016) Fatigue life assessment of traffic-signal support structures from an analytical approach and long-term vibration monitoring data. J Struct Eng 142(6):4016017

    Article  Google Scholar 

  13. Florea MJ, Manuel L, Frank KH, Wood SL (2007) Field tests and analytical studies of the dynamic behavior and the onset of galloping in traffic signal structures. 7, 128. Retrieved from http://trid.trb.org/view.aspx?id=875810

  14. Frymoyer MC, Berman JW (2009) Remaining life assessment of in-service luminaire support structures. Transportation Northwest (Organization)

  15. Giosan I (2006) Vortex shedding induced loads on free standing structures. Structural vortex shedding response estimation methodology and finite element simulation. Retrieved from http://www.wceng-fea.com/vortex_shedding.pdf

  16. Goyal R, Dhonde HB, Dawood M (2012) Fatigue failure and cracking in high mast poles. FHWA/TX-12 (October 2011), 270. Retrieved from http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/44000/44600/44612/0-6650-1.pdf

  17. Hamilton HR III, Riggs GS, Puckett JA (2000) Increased damping in cantilevered traffic signal structures. J Struct Eng 126(4):530–537

    Article  Google Scholar 

  18. Hartnagel BA, Barker MG (1999). Strain measurements on traffic signal mast arms. 1999 New Orleans Structures Congress Structural Engineering Institute of American Society of Civil Engineers, Structural Association of Alabama, National Council of Structural Engineers Associations, Florida Structural Engineers Association, Louisiana Sect

  19. Jafari M, Sarkar PP, Alipour AA (2019) A numerical simulation method in time domain to study wind-induced excitation of traffic signal structures and its mitigation. J Wind Eng Ind Aerodyn 193:103965

    Article  Google Scholar 

  20. Kacin JA (2009). Fatigue life estimation of a highway sign structure. MS Thesis, Master of, 144

  21. Kaczinski MR, Dexter RJ, Van Dien JP (1998) Fatigue-resistant design of cantilevered signal, sign and light supports, vol 412. Transportation Research Board

  22. Martin J, Alipour A, Sarkar P (2019) Fragility surfaces for multi-hazard analysis of suspension bridges under earthquakes and microbursts. Eng Struct 197:109169

    Article  Google Scholar 

  23. Micheli L, Hong J, Laflamme S, Alipour A (2020) Surrogate models for high performance control systems in wind-excited tall buildings. Appl Soft Comput 90:106133

    Article  Google Scholar 

  24. Micheli L, Cao L, Laflamme S, Alipour A (2020) Life-cycle cost evaluation strategy for high-performance control systems under uncertainties. J Eng Mech 146(2):04019134

    Google Scholar 

  25. Oman S, Nagode M (2017) Bolted connection of an end-plate cantilever beam: the distribution of operating force. Strojniski Vestnik/J Mech Eng 63(11):617–627. https://doi.org/10.5545/sv-jme.2017.4638

    Article  Google Scholar 

  26. Phares BM, Sarkar PP, Wipf TJ, Chang B (2007) Development of fatigue design. Procedures for slender, tapered support structures for highway signs, luminaries, and traffic signals subjected to wind-induced excitation from vortex shedding and buffeting. 132

  27. Pino VA (2010) Fatigue life prediction of cantilevered light pole structures fatigue life prediction of cantilevered light pole Structures. (December)

  28. Puckett J, Ph D, Johnson R (2011) Study of the effects of wind power and vortex-induced vibrations to establish fatigue design criteria for high–mast poles. (August)

  29. Pulipaka N, McDonald JR, Mehta KC (1995) Wind effects on cantilevered traffic signal structures. Wind Engineering Retrospect and Prospect: Papers for the Ninth International Conference 1995 Volume IV, 2043–2050, January 9–14

  30. Roy S, Park YC, Sause R, Fisher JW, Kaufmann EJ (2011) Cost-effective connection details for highway sign, luminaire, and traffic signal structures

  31. Schijve J (2001) Fatigue of structures and materials. Springer Science & Business Media, pp 106–107

  32. Sinh HN, Riedman M, Letchford C, O’Rourke M (2014) Full-scale investigation of wind-induced vibrations of mast-arm traffic signal structures. Dept. of Transportation, New York (State)

    Google Scholar 

  33. Tsai L-W, Alipour A (2020) Assessment of fatigue life and reliability of high-mast luminaire structures. J Constr Steel Res 170:106066

    Article  Google Scholar 

  34. Tsai L-W, Alipour A (2021) Studying the wind-induced vibrations of a traffic signal structure through long term health monitoring. Eng Struct 247:112837

    Article  Google Scholar 

  35. Tsai L-W, Dikshit S, Alipour A (2019) Assessment of remaining life of high-mast luminaire structures, Structures congress 2019: bridges, nonbuilding and special structures, and nonstructural components. American Society of Civil Engineers, Reston, VA, pp 329–339

    Google Scholar 

  36. Tsai L-W, Alipour A (2022) Physics-informed long short-term memory networks for response prediction of a wind-excited flexible structure. Eng Struct

  37. Van Dien JP (1995) Fatigue resistant design of cantivelered sign, signal, and luminaire support structures

  38. Wieghaus KT, Hurlebaus S, Mander JB, Fry GT (2014) Wind-induced traffic signal structure response: experiments and reduction via helical arm strakes. Eng Struct 76:245–254. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.engstruct.2014.07.012

    Article  Google Scholar 

  39. Wieghaus KT, Mander JB, Hurlebaus S (2015) Fragility analysis of wind-excited traffic signal structures. Eng Struct 101:652–661. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.engstruct.2015.07.044

    Article  Google Scholar 

  40. Wieghaus KT, Mander JB, Hurlebaus S (2017) Damage avoidance solution to mitigate wind-induced fatigue in steel traffic support structures. J Constr Steel Res 138:298–307. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jcsr.2017.06.037

    Article  Google Scholar 

  41. Wu J, Chen G, Barker MG (2000) Wind-induced stresses on traffic signal mast arms: case studies

  42. Zuo D, Letchford CW (2010) Wind-induced vibration of a traffic-signal-support structure with cantilevered tapered circular mast arm. Eng Struct 32(10):3171–3179

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgements

This paper is based on work supported by the Iowa Department of Transportation and National Cooperative Highway Research Program. Their support is gratefully acknowledged. Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of the funding agencies.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Civil, Construction and Environmental Engineering, Iowa State University, Ames, IA, 50011, USA

    Li-Wei Tsai & Alice Alipour

Authors
  1. Li-Wei Tsai
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Alice Alipour
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Alice Alipour.

Ethics declarations

Conflict of interest

Authors are required to disclose financial or non-financial interests that are directly or indirectly related to the work submitted for publication.

Additional information

Publisher's Note

Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.

Rights and permissions

Springer Nature or its licensor (e.g. a society or other partner) holds exclusive rights to this article under a publishing agreement with the author(s) or other rightsholder(s); author self-archiving of the accepted manuscript version of this article is solely governed by the terms of such publishing agreement and applicable law.

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Tsai, LW., Alipour, A. Structural health monitoring and fatigue life reliability assessment of a flexible structure in extreme wind. J Civil Struct Health Monit 13, 677–691 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s13349-022-00658-1

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s13349-022-00658-1

Keywords

Search

Navigation