Seismic response of a monorail bridge incorporating train-bridge interaction

Dynamic responses of the bridge for a straddle-type monorail subjected to the ground motion of high probability to occur are investigated by means of a three-dimensional traffic-induced vibration analysis to clarify the effect of a train?s dynamic system on seismic responses of a monorail bridge. A 15DOFs model is assumed for a car in the monorail train. The validity of developed equations of motion for a monorail train-bridge interaction system is verified by comparison with the field-test data. The inertia effect due to a ground motion is combined with the monorail train-bridge interaction system to investigate the seismic response of the monorail bridge under a moving train. An interesting result is that the dynamic system of the train on monorail bridges can act as a damper during earthquakes. The observation of numerical results also points out that the damper effect due to the dynamic system of the monorail train tends to decrease with increasing speed of the train.