Assessing dynamic response of multispan viscoelastic thin beams under a moving mass via generalized moving least square method

Abstract

Dynamic response of multispan viscoelastic thin beams subjected to a moving mass is studied by an efficient numerical method in some detail. To this end, the unknown parameters of the problem are discretized in spatial domain using generalized moving least square method (GMLSM) and then, discrete equations of motion based on Lagrange’s equation are obtained. Maximum deflection and bending moments are considered as the important design parameters. The design parameter spectra in terms of mass weight and velocity of the moving mass are presented for multispan viscoelastic beams as well as various values of relaxation rate and beam span number. A reasonable good agreement is achieved between the results of the proposed solution and those obtained by other researchers. The results indicate that, although the load inertia effects in beams with higher span number would be intensified for higher levels of moving mass velocity, the maximum values of design parameters would increase either. Moreover, the possibility of mass separation is shown to be more critical as the span number of the beam increases. This fact also violates the linear relation between the mass weight of the moving load and the associated design parameters, especially for high moving mass velocities. However, as the relaxation rate of the beam material increases, the load inertia effects as well as the possibility of moving mass separation reduces.