Dynamical performance of highway bridge decks with irregular pavement surface

An analysis methodology is proposed to evaluate the dynamical effects, displacements and stresses, on highway bridge decks, due to vehicles crossing on the rough pavement surfaces defined by a probabilistic model. To this purpose, the methodology is developed to evaluate the vehicle–structure response under a full probabilistic formulation, running in the frequency domain. The mathematical model assumes a finite element representation of the beam-like deck and the vehicle simulation uses concentrated parameters of mass, stiffness and damping. A well-known power spectral density of road pavement profiles defines the deck surface roughness. The moving load is formed by an infinite succession of equally spaced vehicles moving with constant velocity. Only steady-state response is considered. Response data are produced on reinforced concrete highway bridge decks made of a straight box section girder. Results of a parametric analysis are presented to verify the extension of the dynamical effects on highway bridge decks, due to vehicles crossing on the irregular pavement surface. From these results some general conclusions have been drawn.