The LUSAS Vehicle Load Optimisation
(VLO) software option extends the static and moving
vehicle loading capabilities of LUSAS Bridge. It
identifies critical highway vehicle and train (rail) loading patterns
on bridges and applies these loading patterns to LUSAS models. It
greatly simplifies the evaluation of worst load position, reduces the
amount of time spent generating models, and leads to more efficient
and economic design, assessment or load rating of bridge structures.
The LUSAS Vehicle Load Optimisation
software option is included in all LUSAS Bridge products for all new
sales from Version 18 onwards. Contact sales@lusas.com
for more details.
VLO for highway vehicles
User specified locations of interest
can be evaluated, or whole structure results may be obtained.
User specified locations of interest
1. One or
more positions on the LUSAS model that are to be used for
loading evaluation are selected and assigned influence
attributes. Kerb lines representing the extent of the
carriageway are defined.
2. An
influence surface for each position is automatically
calculated (using a Direct or a Reciprocal Method) and can be
optionally displayed.
3. The
vehicle load optimisation facility interrogates each influence
surface and calculates the critical loading pattern. The
critical loading pattern can be optionally displayed prior to
calculating loading effects.
4. The critical loading
patterns are then used to calculate the loading effects on the model.
Critical loading patterns can be optionally superimposed on deformed or
undeformed results plots.
Whole structure results
Obtain traffic loading effects for any results of interest: moments, shears, torsions, stresses - anywhere on your structure.
One envelope covering all of your structure. No
locations of interest to specify, no loadcases to solve, no comparisons to make.
Combine the one envelope with dead loads and other loads for design effects everywhere.
The following highway design codes
are currently
supported
Norway: NS EN1991-2.2004 NA 2010
+ NA-rundsskiv 07-2015
Poland: EN1991-2
Saudi Arabia: MOMRA Bridges
Design Specifications
Sweden: EN1991-2 (2009), EN1991-2
(2011), TDOK 2013:0267 Version 3.0
South Africa: TMH7
United Kingdom: EN1991-2,
BA34/90, BD21/01 including Annexes D and E, BD37/01 (Road+Rail), BD86/11, BS5400 Rail Railtrack document RT/CE/025,
CS 454 Assessment of Highway Structures and Bridges, CS
458 rev 0 with ALL Model 1, CS 458 rev0 with ALL Model 2.
United States of America: AASHTO LRFD
(7th and 6th Edition) and AASHTO Standard Specifications (17th
Edition), and AASHTO
MBE Section 6A (LRFR)
Watch Vehicle Load
Optimisation for highway vehicles
User specified locations.
Watch Vehicle Load
Optimisation for highway vehicles
User specified locations of interest
can be evaluated, or whole structure results may be obtained.
1. One or
more positions on the LUSAS model that are to be used for
loading evaluation are selected and assigned influence
attributes. Tracks and loadable track layouts must be defined.
2. An
influence surface for each position is automatically
calculated and can be
optionally displayed.
3. The vehicle load
optimisation facility interrogates each set of influence lines, and
calculates the critical loading pattern for each. Critical loading
patterns can be optionally displayed prior to calculating loading
effects.
4. The critical
loading patterns are then used to calculate the loading effects on the
model.
The following train
(rail) design codes are currently
supported
Europe: EN1991-2 (Recommended
values) (p491ae) and National Annexes for Denmark, Finland,
Ireland, Italy, Norway, Poland and the United Kingdom
International UIC Leaflet 776-1
(5th Edition)
United Kingdom: NR-GN-CIV-025
United States of America: AREMA manual for Railway Engineering (Concrete and Steel
Structures)
Automatic generation of influence
lines / surfaces in LUSAS Bridge
Solves several points on a structure
in one analysis session
For use with LUSAS beams, plates, shells
and grillages
Precise identification of critical
loading patterns to the appropriate international code of practice
Graphical visualisation of vehicle
loading patterns
Generates loadings for straight or curved
carriageways / tracks
Facility to accommodate changes in
design codes
Pre-defined standard vehicles
User customisation of vehicle loads
Option to use non-default values
Option to create user-defined rules
Fast solution times with loading
files being produced far quicker than can be done manually
Facility with some supported codes for sensitivity testing -
for example determining the maximum number of HB units which a
structure may support, with or without HA loading
Onerous results table facility
with display and optional sorting of results for all visible nodes
Using the LUSAS
Vehicle Load Optimization facility expedited the live load
analyses for a highly repetitive task that would have otherwise been
extremely time consuming.
LUSAS is a trademark and
trading name of Finite Element Analysis Ltd. Copyright 1982 - 2025. Last
modified: June 20, 2024
. Privacy
policy.
Any modelling, design and analysis capabilities described are
dependent upon the LUSAS software product, version and option in use.
