Dynamic response of periodic infinite structure to arbitrary moving load based on the Finite Element Method

Abstract

[EN] A common problem in railway engineering is the dynamic of repetitive structures subject to moving loads. Bridges, rails or catenaries are the most representative periodic structures, over which the train acts as a moving exciter. Usually, these structures are long enough to consider that their dynamic response is in permanent regime. To assume the steady-state regime some features have to be considered: infinite length structure, perfect periodicity and constant velocity of the moving load. This paper adopts these assumptions and provides the steady-state solution of a generic periodic structure subject to an arbitrary and also periodic moving load. The structure is divided into repetitive blocks modelled by the Finite Element Method. By applying the periodicity condition it is possible to consider the entire structure dynamics with only one block. The problem is stated in the frequency domain and moved back to time domain by means of Discrete Fourier Transform.