An Experimental and Numerical Study on the Lateral Stiffness Limits of Straddle-Type Monorail Tour-Transit Systems

Abstract

The development of the straddle-type monorail tour-transit system (MTTS) has received keen attention. Regarding the unspecified regulations on the lateral stiffness limit of steel substructures, which is essential for the design of MTTSs, this work presents a comprehensive assessment of the issue. Firstly, a wind–vehicle–bridge coupling model was established, integrating multibody dynamics and finite element methods. This model was then validated against field test results, considering measured track irregularities and simulated wind loadings as the excitations. Afterwards, a trend analysis and a variance-based sensitivity analysis was performed to investigate the effect of various factors on the dynamic response of the MTTS. Results indicate that the pier height significantly impacts the lateral displacement of the pier top, accounting for 87% of the first-order sensitivity index and 75% of the total sensitivity index. In comparison, the lateral stiffness of track beams contributes over 70% to the maximum responses at the mid-span. Based on this, two responses, the lateral displacement of the pier top and the lateral deflection–span ratio of the track beam, were utilized as evaluation indicators. With the analysis of indicators in terms of lateral acceleration, Sperling index, and lateral wheel force, the limited values for the two indicators were determined as 8.04 mm and L/4200, respectively. These findings can serve as valuable references for future research and designs in this field.