Dynamic tests of the structure for extension of the Madeira island airport

Before being opened to the traffic of airplanes the structure for extension of the Madeira island airport, was subjected to load tests to check its behavior and compare it with the predicted by the designers. This paper describes the dynamic tests that were conducted on the structure and that consisted in the measurement of vibrations due to the traffic of loaded trucks and due to the sudden release of a 62 tons weight, hanged from the mid-span of the slab. The paper describes the techniques that were used to analyze the tests data, namely, the basic frequency domain technique [1] for output-only modal analysis. The dynamic characteristics estimated from the tests are presented and compared with the ones evaluated with the finite element model used in the design of the structure. Reference is also made to the system that is going to be installed in the structure to monitor the dynamic effects of airplane landing and take off.