Modelling a surcharge load of a vehicule 1

[pascallafata]

I'm actually designing the reinforcement with bolts of retaining wall and i don't really know what is the best way to modelize the surcharge load. So, that's my question :
How do you modelize a surcharge load of a vehicule (surface load, point load under the wheels, line load...)?

Thanks in advange.

 

[SlideRuleEra]

I suggest that you keep your model conservative and simple since there are many variables when dealing with vehicles. Examples are:
What is the vehicle's wheelbase?
How close to the wall can it get?
Is the vehicle larger than anticipated or overloaded?
Bumps in the road (impact loading)?

1. Perhaps you could start by assuming a strip load, located as close to the wall as can reasonably be expected.

2. Magnitude of the load equal to 200% of the design vehicle weight (100% for the weight + 100% for all the other possible factors).

3. Width of the strip load equals width of the selected design vehicle.

4. Applied pressure pressure from the strip load equals magnitude of the load (see #2) divided by width of the strip load (see #3) divided by the assumed length of the design vehicle.

This would be a starting point. Then make similar (simple) assumptions for the other approaches you mentioned (line loads, point loads, etc.) and choose the worse case.

Best Wishes

http://www.SlideRuleEra.net

 

[BigH]

AASHTO has a code in their bridge design manual - it is about equivalent to 600psf uniform bearing pressure for live traffic loading. I would likely use what the codes say rather than modeling it otherwise - you would be using a standard practice.