Numerical modelling of free field traffic-induced vibrations

This paper deals with the numerical modelling of free field traffic-induced vibrations during the passage of a vehicle on an uneven road. The road unevenness subjects the vehicle to vertical oscillations that cause dynamic axle loads. The latter are calculated from the vehicle transfer functions and the frequency content of the road profile as experienced by the vehicle ar;les. A transfer function between the source and the receiver that accounts for the dynamic interaction between the road and the soil is used to calculate the free field response. Its calculation is based on a dynamic substructure method, using a boundary element method for the soil and an analytical beam model for the road. The methodology is validated with analytical results and is finally illustrated by a numerical example where the free field vibrations during the passage of a vehicle on a traffic plateau are considered. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.