Finite element analysis of highway bridges subjected to moving loads

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Abstract

A proper estimate of the dynamic effect of traffic load on the response of highway bridges is becoming increasingly important. Reduction in the ratio of dead load to total load which makes the effect of the live load more pronounced, and the adoption of ultimate-strength design method by many design codes are among those factors that make an accurate evaluation of the live load very important. This paper illustrates how a general purpose finite element package can be used to consider the dynamic effect of a moving load traversing a highway bridge. This objective is achieved by employing the load arrival time option in ADINA. It is shown that, if the problem is modelled properly, the results are as good as the exact solution. Note that the exact solution is practically possible only for a simply supported bridge considering only the effect of the fundamental mode. Thus, using finite element a practical research study can be performed to develop graphical design aides for more accurate evaluation of the impact factor. The versatility and power of finite element technique will also make it possible to easily investigate the spatial nature of response to traffic load.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)837-842
Number of pages6
JournalComputers and Structures
Volume49
Issue number5
DOIs
StatePublished - Dec 3 1993

All Science Journal Classification (ASJC) codes

  • Civil and Structural Engineering
  • Modeling and Simulation
  • Materials Science(all)
  • Mechanical Engineering
  • Computer Science Applications

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