Vehicle-bridge Interaction Analysis Based on the ANCF Quasi-conforming Plate Technique

Abstract

A new plate element is developed for analysis of plate structures in vehicle-bridge interaction analysis based on the combining of absolute nodal coordinate formulation (ANCF) and quasi-conforming technique (QCT). In order to simulate complex contact and large deformation during vehicle-bridge interaction (VBI) for the slender bridge, new curvature strains and explicit formulation of internal forces are developed for the shell elements of the bridge deck. The developed QCT_ANCF shell element is compared with the original ANCF element to verify its locking remedies. Compared with the original model, the new QCT_ANCF element shows better convergence and curvature continuity and is more accurate under the same number of elements. Numerical cases are analyzed using the QCT_ANCF element in comparison to analytical solutions and the original ANCF shell element. Meanwhile, there is less high frequency vibration in the velocity and acceleration curve by comparing with the original model. Furthermore, the vehicle-bridge interaction is parametrically analyzed using the new QCT_ANCF element under series of road roughness index and vehicle speeds. The impact factors based on the displacements and strains over the transverses of the bridge are investigated.