The Use of Ramp Superposition to Analyse the Influence of Road Irregularities on Maximum Beam Stresses due to a Moving Load

Maximum static bending stresses take place at mid-span for a simply supported beam model subject to a moving load but the maximum total stresses may fall in a different section as result of many mechanical parameters involving vehicle, beam and road profile interaction. This paper uses the concept of ramp superposition to analyse the influence of a road profile on the beam stresses and to determine the critical sections where maximum stresses develop. The method also allows identifying those road segments that contribute in a higher degree to those stresses.