Dynamic Effects of Moving Loads on Structures

Resumo

This study presents a computational analysis of the dynamic behavior of a cantilever steel beam
subjected to a moving mass and corresponding load that travels along its entire length. It aims to understand the
behavior of such a structure and to determine dynamic impacts on displacements. Present methods for structural
analysis usually consider acting forces as static. However, structures subjected to masses whose position change
considerably in time need to be more carefully considered. It is essential to ensure the safety of the structure, the
proper functioning of equipment and the comfort and safety of users. Consideration of the dynamic behavior of a
structure allows to evaluate the results with greater reliability, since it brings the model closer to reality, as the
actual masses and corresponding loads vary with time and, therefore, produce dynamic effects. Advances in
computational power and in the development of computational methods allow the design of these structures to
include dynamic analysis, which promotes more realistic results in engineering design. Here, a discretized model
was developed, based on the Finite Element Method, using numerical integration by Newmark’s Method for the
solution of the nonlinear 2nd order ordinary differential equations and obtaining the displacements of the structure
in the time domain, to evaluate its behavior due to moving masses and loads.