Indirect identification of time-varying moving vehicle loads on bridges

Abstract

For the time-varying moving loads on bridges, four indirect moving force identification methods with two solutions to two bridge models have been introduced in this paper, and then validated by model experiments in the laboratory. The simulated and illustrative experiment results show that all the four methods are valid for identification of moving vehicle loads on the model bridges although various vehicle-bridge system parameters affect the identification calculation to some extents. Both the time domain method (TDM) and frequency-time domain method (FTDM) methods have higher accuracy and robust applicability, they can be recommended for identification of moving vehicle loads on bridges in the field.