Vehicle-Bridge Interaction Analysis Using the Localized Lagrange Multipliers Approach

Abstract

This paper presents a localized Lagrange multipliers approach to numerically solve the vehicle-bridge interaction problem. The distinct characteristic of the present time-integration algorithm is the introduction of additional auxiliary contact points between the vehicle wheels and the bridge elements in contact, which enable the partitioned analysis of the vehicle and the bridge subsystems. The interaction scheme accounts for rigid contact in the normal direction and rolling contact in the tangential direction. The paper applies the partitioned algorithm to a realistic scenario of a two-vehicle train crossing an existing HSR bridge. The results indicate that the proposed algorithm gives accurate results and at the same time can decrease the computational cost of the analysis, compared to existing algorithms.