Efficient dynamic analysis of cable-stayed bridges under vehicular movement using space and time adaptivity

Abstract

The effects of random road surface roughness on the impact effects on cable-stayed bridge due to moving vehicles are investigated. The random road surface roughness is described by a zero-mean stationary Gaussian random process. The bridge is modeled by finite element method as a planar structure. Each moving vehicle is idealized as a single degree-of-freedom lumped mass system, in which a mass is supported by a spring and a dashpot. The impact effects of random road surface roughness on a cable-stayed bridge vary a lot, depending on the location and the structural components. The entire computation has been carried out in an adaptive finite element environment. It has been clearly demonstrated that the dynamic amplification factor, a significant parameter for bridge design can become highly erroneous if the errors due to both space and time discretization are not kept within control.