Numerical Investigations on the Dynamic Response of a Long-Span Arch Bridge Under Heavy Truck Loads

International Journal of Civil Engineering

© 2025 by SSRG - IJCE Journal

Volume 12 Issue 2

Year of Publication : 2025

Authors : Meera Jacob, S. Deepa Balakrishnan

10.14445/23488352/IJCE-V12I2P103

How to Cite?

Meera Jacob, S. Deepa Balakrishnan, "Numerical Investigations on the Dynamic Response of a Long-Span Arch Bridge Under Heavy Truck Loads," SSRG International Journal of Civil Engineering, vol. 12,  no. 2, pp. 15-30, 2025. Crossref, https://doi.org/10.14445/23488352/IJCE-V12I2P103

Abstract:

Loads of dynamic nature are critical for any bridge structure and must be accurately determined. This paper deals with the dynamic response analysis of a long-span arch bridge due to heavy truck loads under various combinations of vehicle speeds on different road roughness profiles, using numerical modeling and MATLAB coding. Four vehicle loading scenarios were analysed, involving two trucks moving in the same and opposite directions at the same and varying speeds. The dynamic responses in terms of displacement, velocity, and acceleration were computed and compared. The results reveal that the analysed vehicle loading scenario of trucks moving at the same speed in the same direction exhibited a maximum increase of 73%, 104%, and 22% in dynamic responses compared to the other three analysed vehicle loading scenarios. The study also revealed that the roughness of the road surface is a crucial parameter influencing the bridge’s dynamic responses. In addition, dynamic amplification factor and pedestrian comfort analysis were also computed for the various vehicle loading scenarios.

Keywords:

Bridge, MATLAB coding, Quarter-Vehicle Model, Road roughness, Vehicle-bridge interaction.

References:

[1] M.K. Pant, Elements of Bridge Engineering, S.K. Kataria & Sons, pp.1-275, 2014.
[Publisher Link]
[2] Eman J. Ismail, “RC Skew Slabs Behaviour: A Finite Element Model,” International Journal of Structural Engineering, vol. 9, no. 4, pp. 273-288, 2018.
[CrossRef] [Google Scholar] [Publisher Link]
[3] Asha Joseph, and Glory Joseph, “Fluid-Structure-Soil Interaction Effect on Dynamic Behaviour of Circular Water Tanks,” International Journal of Structural Engineering, vol. 10, no. 1, pp. 25-39, 2019.
[CrossRef] [Google Scholar] [Publisher Link]
[4] Shrikant M. Harle, “Exploring the Dynamics of Vibration and Impact Loads: A Comprehensive Review,” International Journal of Structural Engineering, vol. 14, no. 1, pp. 1-24, 2024.
[CrossRef] [Google Scholar] [Publisher Link]
[5] Naiwei Lu et al., “Lifetime Deflections of Long-Span Bridges under Dynamic and Growing Traffic Loads,” Journal of Bridge Engineering, vol. 22, no. 11, 2017.
[CrossRef] [Google Scholar] [Publisher Link]
[6] Wei Wang et al., “Dynamic Analysis of a Cable-Stayed Concrete-Filled Steel Tube Arch Bridge under Vehicle Loading,” Journal of Bridge Engineering, vol. 20, no. 5, 2015.
[CrossRef] [Google Scholar] [Publisher Link]
[7] Yufen Zhou, and Suren Chen, “Dynamic Simulation of a Long-Span Bridge-Traffic System Subjected to Combined Service and Extreme Loads,” Journal of Structural Engineering, vol. 141, no. 9, 2014.
[CrossRef] [Google Scholar] [Publisher Link]
[8] Kultigin Demirlioglu, Semih Gonen, and Emrah Erduran, “Effect of Road Roughness on the Dynamic Response of Vehicles in Vehicle-Bridge Interaction Modeling,” Experimental Vibration Analysis for Civil Engineering Structures, vol. 2, pp. 294-304, 2023.
[CrossRef] [Google Scholar] [Publisher Link]
[9] T.G. Konstantakopoulos, I.G. Raftoyiannis, and G.T. Michaltsos, “Suspended Bridges Subjected to Earthquake and Moving Loads,” Engineering Structures, vol. 45, pp. 223-237, 2012.
[CrossRef] [Google Scholar] [Publisher Link]
[10] Yan Zhou, Pengfei Yang, and Kai Zhang, “Dynamic Response Analysis of Cable-Stayed Bridge under Random Traffic Flow and Fleet,” Journal of Vibroengineering, vol. 23, no. 7, pp. 1663-1679, 2021.
[CrossRef] [Google Scholar] [Publisher Link]
[11] Emrah Erduran, Semih Gonen, and Aya Alkanany, “Parametric Analysis of the Dynamic Response of Railway Bridges due to Vibrations Induced by Heavy-Haul Trains,” Structure and Infrastructure Engineering, vol. 20, no. 3, pp. 326-339, 2022.
[CrossRef] [Google Scholar] [Publisher Link]
[12] Li Dai et al., “Effects of Vehicle Speed on Vehicle-Induced Dynamic Behaviors of a Concrete Bridge with Smooth and Rough Road Surfaces,” Applied Sciences, vol. 13, no. 16, pp. 1-19, 2023.
[CrossRef] [Google Scholar] [Publisher Link]
[13] Tao Wang et al., “Wind-Vehicle-Bridge Coupled Vibration Analysis Based on Random Traffic Flow Simulation,” Journal of Traffic and Transportation Engineering (English Edition), vol. 1, no. 4, pp. 293-308, 2014.
[CrossRef] [Google Scholar] [Publisher Link]
[14] Hai Zhong, Mijia Yang, and Zhili (Jerry) Gao, “Dynamic Responses of Prestressed Bridge and Vehicle through Bridge-Vehicle Interaction Analysis,” Engineering Structures, vol. 87, pp. 116-125, 2015.
[CrossRef] [Google Scholar] [Publisher Link]
[15] M. Agostinacchio, D. Ciampa, and S. Olita, “The Vibrations Induced by Surface Irregularities in Road Pavements - A Matlab® Approach,” European Transport Research Review, vol. 6, pp. 267-275, 2014.
[CrossRef] [Google Scholar] [Publisher Link]
[16] Jianfeng Mao, Zhiwu Yu, and Lizhong Jiang, “Stochastic Analysis of Vehicle-Bridge Coupled Interaction and Uncertainty Bounds of Random Responses in Heavy Haul Railways,” International Journal of Structural Stability and Dynamics, vol. 9, no. 12, pp. 1-29, 2019.
[CrossRef] [Google Scholar] [Publisher Link]
[17] Xuansheng Cheng et al., “Vehicle-Bridge Coupling Dynamic Response of a Box Bridge after Reinforcement with Prestressed CFRP,” Journal of Vibroengineering, vol. 22, no. 7, pp. 1715-1730, 2020.
[CrossRef] [Google Scholar] [Publisher Link]
[18] Hoai Ho, and Mayuko Nishio, “Evaluation of Dynamic Responses of Bridges Considering Traffic Flow and Surface Roughness,” Engineering Structures, vol. 225, 2020.
[CrossRef] [Google Scholar] [Publisher Link]
[19] Fei Xu, Huixian Yang, and Kjell Ahlin, “On Vehicle Response under Non-Gaussian Road Profile Excitation,” Advances in Mechanical Engineering, vol. 16, no. 4, pp. 1-8, 2024.
[CrossRef] [Google Scholar] [Publisher Link]
[20] Giuseppe Loprencipe, and Pablo Zoccali, “Use of Generated Artificial Road Profiles in Road Roughness Evaluation,” Journal of Modern Transportation, vol. 25, pp. 24-33, 2017.
[CrossRef] [Google Scholar] [Publisher Link]
[21] “ISO 8608:2016-Mechanical Vibration-Road Surface Profiles-Reporting of Measured Data,” ISO, 2016.
[Google Scholar] [Publisher Link]
[22] B. Goenaga, L. Fuentes, and O. Mora, “Evaluation of the Methodologies used to Generate Random Pavement Profiles Based on the Power Spectral Density: An Approach Based on the International Roughness Index,” Ingeniería e Investigación, vol. 37, no. 1, pp. 49-57, 2017.
[CrossRef] [Google Scholar]
[23] Chandrashekhar S. Dharankar, Mahesh Kumar Hada, and Sunil Chandel, “Numerical Generation of Road Profile through Spectral Description for Simulation of Vehicle Suspension,” Journal of the Brazilian Society of Mechanical Sciences and Engineering, vol. 39, pp. 1957-1967, 2017.
[CrossRef] [Google Scholar] [Publisher Link]
[24] Luca Rapino et al., “Measurement and Processing of Road Irregularity for Surface Generation and Tyre Dynamics Simulation in NVH Context,” International Journal of Pavement Research and Technology, vol. 17, pp. 918-928, 2024.
[CrossRef] [Google Scholar] [Publisher Link]
[25] Y.B. Yang, Y.C. Lee, and K.C. Chang, Effect of Road Surface Roughness on Extraction of Bridge Frequencies by Moving Vehicle, Mechanics and Model-Based Control of Advanced Engineering Systems, Springer, Vienna, pp. 295-305, 2014.
[CrossRef] [Google Scholar] [Publisher Link]
[26] Dorra Ben Hassen et al., “Road Profile Estimation Using the Dynamic Responses of the Full Vehicle Model,” Applied Acoustics, vol. 147, pp. 87-99, 2019.
[CrossRef] [Google Scholar] [Publisher Link]
[27] Teron Nguyen et al., “Bus Ride Index - A Refined Approach to Evaluating Road Surface Irregularities,” Road Materials and Pavement Design, vol. 22, no. 2, pp. 423-443, 2021.
[CrossRef] [Google Scholar] [Publisher Link]
[28] Tiago Lima de Sousa, Jéderson da Silva, and Wesllen Lins de Araujo, “Optimization of Quarter Car Suspension Dynamics Using Power Spectral Density of Irregular Road Profile,” Universal Journal of Mechanical Engineering, vol. 11, no. 3, pp. 47-63, 2023.
[CrossRef] [Google Scholar] [Publisher Link]
[29] A Policy on Geometric Design of Highways and Streets, AASHTO, pp. 1-947, 2001.
[Google Scholar] [Publisher Link]
[30] Reza N. Jazar, Quarter Car Model, Vehicle Dynamics, Springer, New York, NY, pp. 985-1026, 2014.
[CrossRef] [Google Scholar] [Publisher Link]
[31] Majid Pouraminian, and Mohsen Ghaemian, “Shape Optimisation of Concrete Open Spandrel Arch Bridges,” Gradevinar, vol. 67, no. 12, pp. 1177-1185, 2015.
[CrossRef] [Google Scholar] [Publisher Link]
[32] Emadoddin Majdabadi Farahani, and Shahrokh Maalek, “An Investigation of the Seismic Behavior of a Deck-Type Reinforced Concrete Arch Bridge,” Earthquake Engineering and Engineering Vibration, vol. 16, pp. 609-625, 2017.
[CrossRef] [Google Scholar] [Publisher Link]
[33] Yichang Zhang et al., “Vehicle Ride Comfort Analysis Based on Vehicle-Bridge Coupled Vibration,” Shock and Vibration, vol. 2021, no. 1, pp. 1-14, 2021.
[CrossRef] [Google Scholar] [Publisher Link]
[34] IRC: 6-2017, “Standard Specifications and Code of Practice for Road Bridges, Section: II - Loads and Load Combinations (Seventh Revision),” Indian Road Congress, pp. 1-122, 2017.
[Google Scholar] [Publisher Link]
[35] Jingrui Yang, and Rui Duan, “Modelling and Simulation of a Bridge Interacting with a Moving Vehicle System,” Master’s Degree Thesis, Blekinge Institute of Technology, Karlskrona, Sweden, pp. 1-88, 2013.
[Google Scholar]
[36] Fan Feng et al., “Evaluating the Dynamic Response of the Bridge-Vehicle System Considering Random Road Roughness Based on the Moment Method,” Advances in Civil Engineering, vol. 2021, no. 1, pp. 1-12, 2021.
[CrossRef] [Google Scholar] [Publisher Link]
[37] Helu Yu et al., “Road Vehicle-Bridge Interaction Considering Varied Vehicle Speed Based on Convenient Combination of Simulink and ANSYS,” Shock and Vibration, vol. 2018, no. 1, pp. 1-14, 2018.
[CrossRef] [Google Scholar] [Publisher Link]