• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
• /
• v.51 no.2
• /
• pp.315-331
• /
• 2014

The present study investigated the effect of the correlation of the measured road roughness profiles corresponding to the left and right wheels of a vehicle on the vibration of a vehicle-bridge coupling system. Four sets of road roughness profiles were measured by a laser road-testing vehicle. A correlation analysis was carried out on the four roughness samples, and two samples with the strongest correlation and weakest correlation were selected for the power spectral density, autocorrelation and cross-correlation analyses. The scenario of a three-axle truck moving across a rigid-frame arch bridge was used as an example. The two selected road roughness profiles were used as inputs to the vehicle-bridge coupling system. Three different input modes were adopted in the numerical analysis: (1) using the measured road roughness profile of the left wheel for the input of both wheels in the numerical simulation; (2) using the measured road roughness profile of the right wheel for both wheels; and (3) using the measured road roughness profiles corresponding to left and right wheels for the input corresponding to the vehicle's left and right wheels, respectively. The influence of the three input modes on the vibration of the vehicle-bridge system was analyzed and compared in detail. The results show that the correlation of the road roughness profiles corresponding to left and right wheels and the selected roughness input mode both have a significant influence on the vibration of the vehicle-bridge coupling system.

• Structural Monitoring and Maintenance
• /
• v.2 no.1
• /
• pp.65-75
• /
• 2015

Among the destruction instances of half-through arch bridges, the shorter hangers are more likely to be ruined. For a thorough investigation of the hanger system durability, we have studied vehicle impact effect on hangers with vehicle-bridge coupling method for a half-through concrete-filled-steel-tube arch bridge. A numerical method has been applied to simulate the variation of dynamic internal force (stress) in hangers under different vehicle speeds and road surface roughness. The characteristics and differences in impact effect among hangers with different length (position) are compared. The impact effect is further analyzed comprehensively based on the vehicle speed distribution model. Our results show that the dynamic internal force induced by moving vehicles inside the shorter hangers is significantly greater than that inside the longer ones. The largest difference of dynamic internal force among the hangers could be as high as 28%. Our results well explained a common phenomenon in several hanger damage accidents occurred in China. This work forms a basis for hanger system's fatigue analysis and service life evaluation. It also provides a reference to the design, management, maintenance, monitoring, and evaluation for this kind of bridge.

• Wind and Structures
• /
• v.27 no.6
• /
• pp.399-416
• /
• 2018

In order to reveal the independent relationship between track irregularity and wind loads, the stochastic characteristics of train-bridge coupling systems subjected to wind loads were investigated by the multi-sample calculation. The vehicle was selected as 23 degrees of freedom dynamical model, and the bridge was described by three-dimensional finite element model. It was assumed that the wind loads were random processes with strong spatial correlation, while the track irregularities were stationary random ones. As a case study, a high-speed train running on a cable-stayed bridge subjected to wind loads was studied. The effect of rail irregularities was deemed to be independent of the effect of wind excitations on the coupling system in the same wind circumstance for the same project, leading to the conclusion that the effect of wind loads and moving vehicle could be calculated separately. The variance results of the stochastic responses of vehicle-bridge coupling system under the action of wind loads and rail irregularities together were equivalent to the sum of the variance of the responses induced by each excitation. Therefore, when one of the input excitations is different, only the effect of changed loads needs to be assessed. Moreover, the new calculated results were combined with the effect of unchanged loads to present the stochastic response of coupling system subjected to the different excitations, reducing the cost of computations. The stochastic characteristics, the CFD (cumulative distribution function) of the coupling system with different wind velocities, vehicle speed, and vehicle marshalling were studied likewise.

• Interaction and multiscale mechanics
• /
• v.3 no.4
• /
• pp.333-342
• /
• 2010

The Pseudo-Excitation Method (PEM) is applied to study the stochastic space vibration responses of train-bridge coupling system. Each vehicle is modeled as a four-wheel mass-spring-damper system with two layers of suspension system possessing 15 degrees-of- freedom. The bridge is modeled as a spatial beam element, and the track irregularity is assumed to be a uniform random process. The motion equations of the vehicle system are established based on the d'Alembertian principle, and the motion equations of the bridge system are established based on the Hamilton variational principle. Separate iteration is applied in the solution of equations. Comparisons with the Monte Carlo simulations show the effectiveness and satisfactory accuracy of the proposed method. The PSD of the 3-span simply-supported girder bridge responses, vehicle responses and wheel/rail forces are obtained. Based on the $3{\sigma}$ rule for Gaussian stochastic processes, the maximum responses of the coupling system are suggested.

• Smart Structures and Systems
• /
• v.33 no.1
• /
• pp.1-16
• /
• 2024

The investigation on vehicle-bridge coupling system (VBCS) is crucial in bridge design, bridge condition evaluation, and vehicle overload control. A real-time hybrid testing (RTHT) method for VBCS (RTHT-VBCS) is proposed in this paper for accurately and economically disclosing the dynamic performance of VBCSs. In the proposed method, one of the carriages is chosen as the experimental substructure loaded by servo-hydraulic actuator loading system in the laboratory, and the remaining carriages as well as the bridge structure are chosen as the numerical substructure numerically simulated in one computer. The numerical substructure and the experimental substructure are synchronized at their coupling points in terms of force equilibrium and deformation compatibility. Compared to the traditional iteration experimental method and the numerical simulation method, the proposed RTHT-VBCS method could not only obtain the dynamic response of VBCS, but also economically analyze various working conditions. Firstly, the theory of RTHT-VBCS is proposed. Secondly, numerical models of VBCS for RTHT method are presented. Finally, the feasibility and accuracy of the RTHT-VBCS are preliminarily validated by real-time hybrid simulations (RTHSs). It is shown that, the proposed RTHT-VBCS is feasible and shows great advantages over the traditional methods, and the proposed models can effectively represent the VBCS for RTHT method in terms of the force equilibrium and deformation compatibility at the coupling point. It is shown that the results of the single-degree-of-freedom model and the train vehicle model are match well with the referenced results. The RTHS results preliminarily prove the effectiveness and accuracy of the proposed RTHT-VBCS.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
• /
• v.49 no.2
• /
• pp.203-223
• /
• 2014

The extensive use of prestressed reinforced concrete (PSC) highway bridges in marine environment drastically increases the sensitivity to both fatigue-and corrosion-induced damage of their critical structural components during their service lives. Within this scenario, an integrated method that is capable of evaluating the fatigue reliability, identifying a condition-based maintenance, and predicting the remaining service life of its critical components is therefore needed. To accomplish this goal, a procedure for fatigue reliability prediction of PSC highway bridges is proposed in the present study. Vehicle-bridge coupling vibration analysis is performed for obtaining the equivalent moment ranges of critical section of bridges under typical fatigue truck models. Three-dimensional nonlinear mathematical models of fatigue trucks are simplified as an eleven-degree-of-freedom system. Road surface roughness is simulated as zero-mean stationary Gaussian random processes using the trigonometric series method. The time-dependent stress-concentration factors of reinforcing bars and prestressing tendons are accounted for more accurate stress ranges determination. The limit state functions are constructed according to the Miner's linear damage rule, the time-dependent S-N curves of prestressing tendons and the site-specific stress cycle prediction. The effectiveness of the methodology framework is demonstrated to a T-type simple supported multi-girder bridge for fatigue reliability evaluation.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
• /
• v.54 no.3
• /
• pp.561-577
• /
• 2015

The main objective of this paper is to study the dynamic load allowance (DLA) calculation methods for bridges according to the dynamic response curve. A simply-supported concrete bridge with a smooth road surface was taken as an example. A half-vehicle model was employed to calculate the dynamic response of deflection and bending moment in the mid-span section under different vehicle speeds using the vehicle-bridge coupling method. Firstly, DLAs from the conventional methods and code provisions were analyzed and critically evaluated. Then, two improved computing approaches for DLA were proposed. In the first approach, the maximum dynamic response and its corresponding static response or its corresponding minimum response were selected to calculate DLA. The second approach utilized weighted average method to take account of multi-local DLAs. Finally, the DLAs from two approaches were compared with those from other methods. The results show that DLAs obtained from the proposed approaches are greater than those from the conventional methods, which indicate that the current conventional methods underestimate the dynamic response of the structure. The authors recommend that the weighted average method based on experiments be used to compute DLAs because it can reflect the vehicle's whole impact on the bridge.

• Interaction and multiscale mechanics
• /
• v.2 no.3
• /
• pp.263-276
• /
• 2009

This paper is intended to investigate interaction response of a train running over a suspension bridge undergoing support settlements. The suspension bridge is modeled as a single-span suspended beam with hinged ends and the train as successive moving oscillators with identical properties. To conduct this dynamic problem with non-homogeneous boundary conditions, this study first divides the total response of the suspended beam into two parts: the static and dynamic responses. Then, the coupled equations of motion for the suspended beam carrying multiple moving oscillators are transformed into a set of nonlinearly coupled generalized equations by Galerkin's method, and solved using the Newmark method with an incremental-iterative procedure including the three phases: predictor, corrector, and equilibrium-checking. Numerical investigations demonstrate that the present iterative technique is available in dealing with the dynamic interaction problem of vehicle/bridge coupling system and that the differential movements of bridge supports will significantly affect the dynamic response of the running vehicles but insignificant influence on the bridge response.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
• /
• v.91 no.4
• /
• pp.403-416
• /
• 2024

The single-column pier girder bridge, due to its low engineering cost, small footprint, and aesthetic appearance, is extensively employed in urban viaducts and interchange ramps. However, its structural design makes it susceptible to eccentric loads, flexural-torsional coupling effects, and centrifugal forces, among others. To evaluate its anti-overturning performance reasonably, it is crucial to determine the reaction force of the support for the single-column pier girder bridge. However, due to the interaction between vehicle and bridge and the complexity of vibration modes, it poses a significant challenge to analyze the theory or finite element method of single-column pier girder bridges. The unit load bearing reaction coefficient method is proposed in this study to facilitate the static analysis. Numerous parameter analyses have been conducted to account for the dynamic amplification effect. The results of these analyses reveal that the dynamic amplification factor is independent of road surface roughness but is influenced by factors such as the position of the support. Based on parameter analysis, the formula of the dynamic amplification factor is derived by fitting.

• Structural Monitoring and Maintenance
• /
• v.11 no.2
• /
• pp.149-171
• /
• 2024

Drive-by monitoring (also known as indirect monitoring or mobile sensing) of bridges has obvious advantages when compared to other approaches of Structural Health Monitoring. The underlying concept involves leveraging the coupling between the vertical vibrations of the bridge and those generated in the passing vehicle. In this scenario, the vehicle serves as both the initiator and recipient of the vibrations, which can provide information on the structural condition of the bridge. In the literature, a wide range of methods has been proposed, primarily focused on highway bridges. However, limited research has been published to assess the suitability of indirect methods for monitoring railway bridges, bounded to numerical studies based on theoretical simulations and, rarely, on experimental investigations. The aim of this work is to contribute to filling this gap and explore the feasibility of implementing drive-by monitoring for railway bridges using in-service vehicles and discuss its potential applicability, from theoretical and practical point of view, with illustration through real case studies from the Moroccan railway network.