Number of Stress Cycles in Bridges Due to High Speed Trains

Ladislav FRÝBA Cyril FISCHER

Professor, Institute of Mathematician, Institute
Theoretical and Applied of Theoretical and Ap-
Mechanics, Prague. plied Mechanics, Prague.

Born 1929, civil engineering Born 1969, received Master

degree 1953 and DrSc 1959 degree in numerical mathe-
from the Czech Technical matics 1993 and PhD 2002
University Prague, Presi- from the Charles Universi-
dent of the Czech Society ty, Prague.
for Mechanics, chairman of
a committee of the Euro-
pean Rail Research Insti-
tute.

Summary
The stress cycles were counted in railway bridges during the passage of high speed trains.
They are represented in histograms which show the number of cycles in each stress range. The
function of train speed and of other parameters are shown in details.
Keywords : dynamics of bridges, counting of stress cycles, resonant vibration

1. Introduction
The high speed trains intensively excite the railway bridges and even the resonant vibration
occurs in some cases. The bridges absorb a lot of stress cycles which substantially affect their
fatigue.
The theoretical investigation began in Japan [1], a simple model was set up in [2] and practical
aspects were tackled in [3]. After the calculation of the deflection-, bending moment- and
vertical acceleration-time histories, [4], we classified the bending moment diagrams which may
be easy recalculated in stresses supposing a particular cross section. Some of classification
results are shown in the present paper.

2. Simple Theoretical Model

The simplest theoretical model of a railway bridge, [5], is a simply supported beam of span l
which is subjected to a row of forces Fn , n = 1, 2, 3, ..., N , moving with the speed c, N being
the number of axle forces in the train. The distance of the force Fn from the first one is dn , d1
= 0. Then the behaviour of the beam is described by the equation

N
∂ 4 v(x, t) ∂ 2 v(x, t) ∂v(x, t) X
EI + µ + 2µωd = εn (t)δ(x − xn )Fn , (1)
∂x4 ∂t2 ∂t n=1

where it is denoted : v(x, t) – vertical deflection of the beam at x and time t, E – modulus of
elasticity, I – constant second moment of the beam cross section area, µ – constant mass per
unit length of the beam, ωd – circular frequency of damping, ϑ = ωd /f1 – logarithmic decrement
of damping, f1 – first natural frequency of the beam,

εn (t) = h(t − tn ) − h(t − Tn ), (2)

(
0 for t < 0
h(t) = (3)
1 for t ≥ 0

– Heaviside unit function, tn = dn /c – time when the n-th force enters the beam, Tn = (l +dn )/c
– time when the n-th force leaves the beam, δ(x) – Dirac function, xn = ct − dn .
The Fourier and Laplace-Carson integral transformations were applied to the equation (1), [6],
and the bending moment for the zero initial conditions and the boundary conditions of a simple
beam yields :

∂ 2 v(x, t)
M (x, t) = −EI = (4)
∂x2

∞ X
N
Fn 3 2 h i jπx
j ωω1 f (t − tn )h(t − tn ) − (−1)j f (t − Tn )h(t − Tn ) sin
X
= M0 ,
j=1 n=1 F l

where it is denoted :
the natural and exciting frequencies

j 4 π 4 EI ωj 2 πc
ωj2 = , fj = , j = 1, 2, 3, ..., ωj0 = ωj2 − ωd2 , ω= , (5)
l4 µ 2π l

bending moment at midspan of the beam due to the force F at x = l/2

2F l Fl
M0 = 2
≈ , (6)
π 4

ωj0
" #
1
f (t) = 0 sin(jωt + λ) + exp−ωd t sin(ωj0 t + ϕ) , (7)
ωj D jω

D2 = (ωj2 − j 2 ω 2 )2 + 4j 2 ω 2 ωd2 , (8)

−2jωωd 2ωd ωj0

λ = arctan 2 , ϕ = arctan 2 . (9)
ωj − j 2 ω 2 ωd − ωj0 2 + j 2 ω 2

Knowing the section modulus W , the stresses are

σ(x, t) = M (x, t)/W. (10)

With respect to (10) and for the sake of brevity we call ”stress spectrum” instead of more exact
”bending moment spectrum” in what follows. The same abbreviation ”stress range” is used
instead of ”bending moment range”.
3. Counting Method
The bending moment-time histories (4) were classified using the rain-flow counting method. It
is based on the conditions

A(i − 1) ≤ A(i + 1) < A(i) ≤ A(i + 2), or (11)

A(i − 1) ≥ A(i + 1) > A(i) ≥ A(i + 2), (12)

where A(i) denotes the i-th local peak. The procedure is described in details in [5]. The method
counts the stress ranges

∆σ = σmax − σmin (13)

defined as the difference between the local maximum σmax and local minimum σmin . The stress
ranges are assumed as the most important parameter influencing the fatigue.

STEEL bridge, ICE, c=350 km h

i 50
20 l= 5m
10
5
2
100 200 300 ∆ M (kNm)
i
20 l = 20 m
10
5
2

i
500 1000 1500 2000 ∆ M (kNm)
5
l = 50 m
3
2
1.5

2000 4000 6000 8000 10000 12000 ∆ M (kNm)

Fig. 3. Stress spectra of steel bridges of spans l = 5, 20 and 50 m under the train ICE 2 at
speed c = 350 km/h.

The counting provides the number i of stress cycles in each stress range ∆M (kNm) and is
represented in histograms (stress spectra, e.g. Fig. 1 – see the Abstract) or tables. Twenty
classes of bending moments were assumed under each train and speed, however, the stress
ranges lower than one tenth of the basic stress range were neglected. The free vibration of
the bridge occurs when the train leaves the bridge, so that we took into account 20 additional
stress cycles of the free vibration. Thus, the calculation stops at TN + 20/f1 . The counting of
negative peaks (e.g. at mid span of a simple beam) explains the large stress ranges at resonant
vibration.

STEEL bridge, l=20m, c = 350 km h

i
ICE
Eurostar
20 Talgo

10

500 1000 1500 2000 2500 ∆ M (kNm)

Fig. 4. Stress spectra of a steel bridge, span l = 20 m, under the high speed trains at speed
c = 350 km/h.

4. Numerical Results
The detailed parametric study investigated both the concrete and steel bridges of spans 5 to 50
m and three types of high speed trains, ICE 2, Eurostar (TGV), Talgo AV 2, running at speeds
5 to 500 km/h. About 400 cases were analysed altogether. The pertinent numerical data of
both bridges and trains can be found in [4].
The Fig. 1 (see the Abstract) shows the stress spectra of a steel bridge of span l = 20 m
subjected to the ICE 2 train running at speeds 5 and 350 km/h. The spectrum at low speed is
weak in comparison to that one at high speed. The total number i of stress cycles for a steel
bridge of span l = 20 m is depicted on the Fig. 2 (see the Abstract) as a function of the speed
c for all investigated trains, i being the sum of the numbers of stress cycles at all stress ranges.
The Excel software was used for smoothing the curves. The comparison of stress spectra of
steel bridges with various spans l = 5, 20 and 50 m under the train ICE 2 at speed c = 350
km/h is represented by the Fig. 3. The Fig. 4 compares the stress spectra of a steel bridge of
span l = 20 m due to various trains at speed c = 350 km/h. The comparison of the dynamic
effects on steel and concrete bridges may be found in the Fig. 5 (span l = 50 m, ICE 2 train,
speed c = 350 km/h).
 STEEL and CONCRETE bridge, l=50m, ICE, c=350 km h

i
STEEL
20 CONCRETE

10

2000 4000 6000 8000 10000 12000 ∆ M (kNm)

Fig. 5. Stress spectra of steel and concrete bridges, span l = 50 m, under ICE 2 train at speed
c = 350 km/h.

5. Conclusions
The paper indicates the number of stress cycles as well as the stress ranges which arise in
railway bridges under the high speed trains. The data are important for the design of bridges
on high speed lines. The fatigue assessment according the Eurocodes 1, 2 and 3 is based on
values observed at speeds lower than 200 km/h while the present paper extends the data up to
500 km/h.
The effect of the speed is substantial (Fig. 1) : the spectra are weak at low speeds while the
high speeds considerably enlarge the stress ranges, [7], [8]. The spans provide no considerable
conclusion (Fig. 3). The most agressive train seems to be Eurostar, then Talgo and ICE (valid
for the particular case – steel bridge, l = 20 m, c = 350 km/h, Fig. 4). The effect of the bridge
material (steel, concrete) depends on the span. The concrete bridges are in general heavier and
more damped than the steel ones and, therefore, favourable with respect to their dynamics, [9].
The total number of stress cycles (Fig. 2) rises nothing but slowly with increasing speed.
Both the active and passive dampers should be developed for bridges and vehicles in order to
diminish the amplitudes of vibration.

Acknowledgement

The supports of grants GA CR 103/01/0243, 103/03/P080, GA AS CR A 207 1103 and of the

project KONTAKT ME 503 are gratefully acknowledged.
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