Computer simulation for dynamic wheel loads of heavy vehicles

The characteristics of dynamic wheel loads of heavy vehicles running on bridge and rigidsurface are investigated by using three-dimensional analytical model. The simulated dynamic wheel loadsof vehicles are compared with the experimental results carried out by Road-Vehicles Research Institute ofNetherlands Organization for Applied Scientific Research (TNO) to verify the validity of the analyticalmodel. Also another comparison of the analytical result with the experimental one for Umeda EntranceBridge of Hanshin Expressway in Osaka, Japan, is presented in this study. The agreement between theanalytical and experimental results is satisfactory and encouraging the use of the analytical model inpractice. Parametric study shows that the dynamic increment factor (DIF) of the bridge and RMS valuesof dynamic wheel loads are fluctuated according to vehicle speeds and vehicle types as well as roadwayroughness conditions. Moreover, there exist strong dominant frequency resemblance between bouncemotion of vehicle and bridge response as well as those relations between RMS values of dynamic wheelloads and dynamic increment factor (DIF) of bridges.