Introduction. This article deals with the issue of relevance of dynamic testing of bridges in Ukraine, an overview of dynamic testing methods and the prospects for the development of this type of bridge testing.
Problem statement. Monitoring the technical condition of bridges is an urgent problem for maintenance services and requires the use of the most advanced methods to quickly identify possible defects and damage in their structures. Dynamic testing is one of such methods, the development and implementation of which requires joint efforts of engineers and the scientific community.
Objective. The main purpose of the article is to evaluate and analyze existing approaches to dynamic testing of bridges to diagnose their condition. This study aims to highlight the need to apply these methods to improve the reliability and safety of bridges, as well as to improve strategies for the maintenance and repair of bridge structures.
Materials and methods. The material for the article is the experience of performing dynamic tests of bridges in Ukraine, including an example of testing a 420-meter-long reinforced concrete road bridge located in the Western Ukraine.
The following research methods were used: analysis of data from scientific sources, analysis of regulatory documents, practical results of using the «Spectrum» software package, mathematical modeling, and general methods of theoretical research.
Results. It has been established that both active and passive dynamic testing methods play an important role in determining the technical condition of bridge structures, each method having its own unique advantages and limitations. The use of these methods provides important information necessary for assessing the safety and reliability of bridges, which is crucial for their effective operational maintenance.
Conclusions. Based on the historical review, it is shown how the methods of dynamic load testing of bridges are increasingly being introduced into the practice of diagnosing the technical condition of bridges. A practical example shows the possibilities of modal control in detecting defects in the span structure of a full-scale bridge.
