Numerical formulation based on moving mesh method for vehicle–bridge interaction

A finite element modeling based on a moving mesh strategy is developed to predict Vehicle–Bridge Interaction (VBI) in moving load applications. The formulation is based on an Arbitrary Lagrangian–Eulerian (ALE) approach, which is able to reproduce the vehicle motion on the basis of a fixed-referential system and moving coordinate variables, representing the positions of the external system. Conceptually, the vehicle and the bridge are considered as an integrated system, in which wheel-bridge interaction as well as the internal forces are implemented by means of moving interface elements. The governing equations of the VBI are derived in the referential coordinate system, whereas the ones associated to bridge structure are not modified from the conventional formulation. Such task is achieved by means of proper projection operators, which define the mapping between the referential and material configurations, reproducing the contact forces between the substructures. The proposed model is quite general to be endorsed in classical FE approach, since it does not require specialized connections with conventional structural formulations. The accuracy and efficiency are verified by means of comparisons with existing numerical results available from the literature, including cases in which the bridge structure is affected by damage phenomena.