A Spectral Element-Pseudo-Excitation Method for Vehicle–Bridge Interaction Analysis

A model for vehicle–bridge interaction under random dynamic excitations is established using spectral element method (SEM) and pseudo-excitation method (PEM). The SEM, with its high accuracy and efficiency in describing dynamic characteristics, discretizes the bridge into spectral elements and constructs its accurate dynamic model. The PEM efficiently solves the dynamic response spectrum by directly converting the track irregularity spectrum into a pseudo-harmonic excitation. Using the model, the influence of vehicle speed, bridge fundamental frequency, and track irregularity on the dynamic response of bridges is discussed. The fundamental frequency limits for commonly used 32[Formula: see text]m and 40[Formula: see text]m span bridges are provided.