Simplified assessment of high-speed train induced bridge vibrations considering shear effects

A novel response spectrum methodology for rapid assessment of the dynamic peak acceleration response of simple railway bridges subjected to high-speed trains is presented. This methodology is based on non-dimensional characteristic bridge and train parameters, and on the shear beam theory. The effect of shear deformations should be considered, if the considered bridge is a truss structure. Depending on the train load model, response spectra are derived for each modal coordinate separately as a function of a non-dimensional speed parameter and the bridge length to wagon length ratio. An estimate of the peak response is found by statistical combination of the individual modal responses applying different rules. (© 2012 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)