📘 Lecture: Moving Loads
1. Introduction
In real-world structures such as bridges, pavements, and crane girders, loads do not act at fixed
points but move across the span. These are called moving loads.
Unlike dead loads (constant) or live loads (variable but static), moving loads change both
magnitude and position with time.
👉 This makes analysis more complex, because the maximum effect (bending moment, shear
force, deflection, or stress) depends on where the load is positioned on the structure.
2. Examples of Moving Loads
Highway Bridges → trucks, cars, buses.
Railway Bridges → locomotives and train wagons.
Industrial Cranes → trolley and lifted loads moving along girders.
Elevated Conveyors → loads moving continuously.
3. Classification of Moving Loads
a) Concentrated Loads
Single heavy vehicle or wheel load moving across span.
Example: Railway axle load.
b) Uniformly Distributed Moving Load (UDL)
Load intensity per unit length moving across span.
Example: Army trucks in convoy, continuous heavy traffic.
c) Series of Concentrated Loads
Multiple wheel loads at fixed spacing.
Example: 3-axle truck or train with bogies.
4. Analysis of Moving Loads on Simply Supported Beams
a) Shear Force and Bending Moment under a Single Moving Load
When a load WWW moves across a span LLL:
o Maximum shear occurs when load is just to the left or right of the section.
o Maximum bending moment at midspan occurs when load is at the center of
span.
o Value:
Mmax=WL4M_{max} = \frac{WL}{4}Mmax=4WL
b) Uniformly Distributed Moving Load (UDL)
When a UDL of length aaa (≤ span L) moves across:
o Maximum bending moment at midspan occurs when load is symmetrically
placed about midspan.
o Formula:
Mmax=wa2(L2−a4)M_{max} = \frac{w a}{2} \left(\frac{L}{2} - \frac{a}{4}\right)Mmax=2wa(2L−4a
)
o If a=La = La=L (whole span loaded), then:
Mmax=wL28M_{max} = \frac{wL^2}{8}Mmax=8wL2
c) Series of Concentrated Loads
Maximum effect occurs when one of the loads is positioned at or near the section
where bending moment or shear is to be determined.
Requires influence line method for accurate analysis.
5. Influence Lines for Moving Loads
An influence line is a graphical representation showing how a function (reaction, shear, or
moment) at a specific point of a structure varies as a unit load moves across the span.
Shear Force Influence Line → positive left, negative right of section.
Bending Moment Influence Line → triangular, maximum at the section.
Use: For moving loads, place loads at positions that maximize the ordinate of the
influence line.
6. Maximum Effects due to Moving Loads
Maximum Shear Force at a Section
Occurs when the load is just to the left (for left shear) or right (for right shear).
Maximum Bending Moment at a Section
Occurs when a load or resultant of load system is placed near the section such that:
Load to the leftLleft=Load to the rightLright\frac{\text{Load to the left}}{L_{left}} = \frac{\
text{Load to the right}}{L_{right}}LleftLoad to the left=LrightLoad to the right
For UDL
Place load symmetrically about section.
7. Real-World Codes and Load Models
AASHTO LRFD (US): Defines HS20/HS25 truck loads for bridges.
Eurocode EN 1991-2: Defines LM1 (uniform traffic load) and LM2 (single axle load).
Philippine Bridge Code: Adopts AASHTO load models for national bridges.
8. Practical Example
A truck load of 100 kN moves across a 10 m simply supported span.
Maximum bending moment at midspan:
Mmax=WL4=100×104=250 kNmM_{max} = \frac{WL}{4} = \frac{100 \times 10}{4} = 250 \, \
text{kNm}Mmax=4WL=4100×10=250kNm
If instead, the span carries a UDL of w=20 kN/mw = 20 \, \text{kN/m}w=20kN/m over entire
span:
Mmax=wL28=20×1028=250 kNmM_{max} = \frac{wL^2}{8} = \frac{20 \times 10^2}{8} = 250 \, \
text{kNm}Mmax=8wL2=820×102=250kNm
👉 Both loads give same max bending moment in this case.
9. Summary
Moving loads are time-varying loads whose positions change across the structure
(bridges, girders, pavements).
Effects depend on position of load → unlike static loads.
Influence lines are essential tools to compute maximum shear and moment.
Maximum effects occur when loads align with the peak ordinates of the influence line.
Structural design must ensure strength + serviceability for worst-case moving load
positions, as required by codes.
✅ Mastering moving load analysis is vital for safe design of bridges and transportation
structures, ensuring they can handle real-world vehicle loading without overstress or excessive
deflection.
