Dynamic response of plate on viscous Winkler foundation to moving loads of varying amplitude

The dynamic displacement and stress responses of a plate of infinite extent on a viscous Winkler foundation subjected to moving tandem-axle loads with amplitude variation have been investigated. Formulations have been developed in the transformed field domain using a triple Fourier transform in time, space, and moving space for moving loads with arbitrary amplitude variation, and a double Fourier transform in space and moving space for the steady-state response to moving harmonic loads. The rigid and flexible pavement systems have been selected as models of the plate on viscous Winkler foundation. The effects of viscous damping, load velocity, load frequency, and phase between the front- and rear-axle loads on the maximum deflection and stress and on the deflection and stress distributions near the loads have been investigated. The analysis results considering viscosity of foundation show significant differences from those obtained with an elastic system. The variation in the load amplitude caused by the surface roughness and the difference in the phase between the front- and rear-axle loads can make the maximum deflection and stress considerably larger.