Railway-Bridge Impact: Simplified Train and Bridge Model

Abstract

A lumped mass model of a railway bridge is developed where only the vertical degree-of-freedom for each joint is considered. The vehicle system is idealized as a three degree-of-freedom model of a railway vehicle consisting of the carbody and wheel-axle sets. Dynamic interaction equations for the bridge-vehicle system are derived and solved using the numerical integration method. Impact factors for member forces and nodal deflections are generated under the action of a single or a series of three moving vehicles. Impact factors are compared with AREA specifications for truss and girder bridges.