When a series of wheel loads crosses a simply supported girder, the ma...
The centre of span is midway between the centre of gravity of the load system and the wheel load under consideration
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When a series of wheel loads crosses a simply supported girder, the ma...
**Explanation:**
When a series of wheel loads crosses a simply supported girder, the maximum bending moment under any given wheel load occurs when the center of span is midway between the center of gravity of the load system and the wheel load under consideration.
To understand why this is the case, let's break down the scenario and analyze the factors involved.
1. **Simply supported girder:** A simply supported girder is a structural element that is supported at both ends and free to rotate. It experiences bending moments and shear forces when loads are applied.
2. **Wheel loads:** When a series of wheel loads crosses the girder, each wheel load generates a bending moment at the point of contact with the girder. The magnitude of the bending moment depends on the load magnitude and its position relative to the center of span.
3. **Center of gravity of the load system:** The center of gravity of the load system is the point at which the total weight of the load system can be considered to act. It represents the combined effect of all the individual wheel loads.
Now, let's consider two extreme scenarios to understand why the maximum bending moment occurs when the center of span is midway between the center of gravity of the load system and the wheel load under consideration.
**Scenario 1: Center of span is not midway between the center of gravity and the wheel load**
If the center of span is closer to the center of gravity of the load system than to the wheel load under consideration, the bending moment caused by the center of gravity will be greater than the bending moment caused by the wheel load. This is because the lever arm (distance between the point of load application and the center of span) for the center of gravity is larger than the lever arm for the wheel load. As a result, the bending moment caused by the center of gravity will dominate, and the maximum bending moment will not occur under the wheel load.
**Scenario 2: Center of span is midway between the center of gravity and the wheel load**
If the center of span is exactly midway between the center of gravity of the load system and the wheel load under consideration, the lever arms for both the center of gravity and the wheel load will be equal. In this case, the bending moment caused by the wheel load will be equal to the bending moment caused by the center of gravity. As a result, the maximum bending moment will occur under the wheel load.
Therefore, based on the analysis of these extreme scenarios, we can conclude that the maximum bending moment under any given wheel load occurs when the center of span is midway between the center of gravity of the load system and the wheel load under consideration. This is because it ensures that the lever arms for both the center of gravity and the wheel load are equal, resulting in an equal contribution to the bending moment.
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