Assessing the dynamic response of long-span bridges under simultaneous wind and traffic loads
For bridge engineers, it provides a framework to assess performance under realistic combined loads, improving serviceability and design optimization.
This work models concurrent wind and traffic loads on long-span bridges, showing that their combined dynamic response differs from linear superposition, with non-linear interactions that challenge conventional design assumptions.
Wind-traffic interactions strongly influence the dynamic response of long-span bridges, yet loads are often analysed independently. This work models concurrent wind and traffic and demonstrates that it differs from linear superposition. Traffic is synthesised from volumes, composition, and vehicle dynamics, with vehicles represented as 3D systems. Vehicle-pavement interaction adopts ISO roughness with transverse coherence, and wind turbulence follows the Kármán spectrum with Davenport coherence. A quasi-steady aerodynamic model supports time-history analysis under combined actions. Results indicate non-linear interactions that change response, revealing limitations of conventional design assumptions. The framework enables accurate performance assessment and informs serviceability criteria and design optimisation for long-span bridges.