A Semi-analytical Solution for the Dynamic Analysis of a Rectangular Viscoelastic Plate Subjected to a Moving Inertial Load

Abstract

A semi-analytical method is developed to determine the response of a thin rectangular plate made of a general viscoelastic material to the excitation of a moving inertial load. The governing equation of the general problem is derived in the Laplace domain, which, for any particular viscoelastic model, is transformable into a system of differential equations in the time domain. Any standard procedure can then be readily employed to solve this system of equations. Using this method, sample response spectra are presented, through which the effect of viscosity, mass and velocity is scrutinized. The results show that, when the viscosity is not large enough, inertial terms cannot be ignored, especially when a heavy load is travelling at a high velocity.