Volume 12, No. 1, 2018
Received: 2017/12/03, Accepted:
Authors:
Nadim I. Shbeeb; Rajai Z. Al-Rousan;
Abstract:
Thermoplastic materials are used as a feasible green solution and as an alternative to wood in railroad bridges. A vibration analysis is conducted on a four-span rail road bridge to evaluate the behavior of thermoplastic versus wood materials, using the finite element analysis to determine the free undamped natural frequencies and mode shapes. Also, natural frequencies and mode shapes under GP 16-120 ton locomotive were extracted. The models studied the effect of material type (thermoplastic and wood) on the natural frequencies and mode
shapes for the loaded cases. It is clearly shown that thermoplastic materials have higher natural frequency values than wood. Based on the results of this study, thermoplastic materials can be considered as a good replacement to wood.
Keywords:
Vibration, Natural frequency, Mode shapes, Finite element analysis, Thermoplastic, Railroad bridge, Wood