Nonlinear Analysis of a Multispan Stone Masonry Bridge Under Railway Traffic Loading

Abstract

This paper reports on modelling strategies used to represent the structural behaviour of a multispan masonry bridge under railway loading. The bridge structural behaviour is simulated by a 3D finite element model, in which the different bridge components are represented by homogeneous materials. The masonry and infill nonlinear behaviour are simulated using the Drucker-Prager model. The response of the bridge is evaluated for different passages of a freight train considering its dynamic effects and using a simplified methodology.