Metrological quality of the excitation force in forced vibration test of concrete dams

Abstract

Abstract. This paper describes the study of the metrological quality of the excitation force in the context of force vibration test of concrete dams. For this purpose, a measurement uncertainty evaluation was performed, based on available probabilistic information about the input quantities – rotation frequency, mass, radial position, dimension, diameter and density of the generator’s rod – which support the determination of the excitation force in an eccentric masses vibration generator, used by LNEC in concrete dam’s field observation. The uncertainty propagation from the input quantities to the output quantity was performed by a Monte Carlo method, considering the mathematical model used for the determination of the excitation force. Two experimental cases were studied: (A) the use of five weights in the generator in the frequency range of 1 Hz up to 6 Hz; and (B) the use of a single weight in the generator in the frequency interval comprised between 5 Hz and 15 Hz. In the first case, the excitation force estimates and expanded measurement uncertainties (considering a 95 % confidence interval) varied between 3.55 kN ± 0.14 kN and 127.68 kN ± 0.91 kN, being rotation frequency the major contribution for the obtained dispersion of force values. In the second case, the excitation force estimates and expanded measurement uncertainties varied between 16.71 kN ± 0.25 kN and 150.4 kN ± 1.8 kN, being the generator’s rod diameter the main contribution for the output measurement uncertainty. The obtained knowledge is essential to assure confidence and rigorous knowledge about the applied excitation force, namely, in extreme situations near dynamical structural safety limits of the observed concrete dam and of the testing equipment.