Akademik Veri Yönetim Sistemi
Lecture Notes in Intelligent Transportation and Infrastructure, Springer Nature, ss.770-789, 2026
This study presents a transient finite element analysis-based assessment of the structural behaviour of the 700-year-old historic Kurt Bridge under vehicle loads. Two different traffic scenarios were modelled within the analysis: Case 1, with a random vehicle arrangement, and Case 2, with an equal number of vehicle types. In both cases, vehicle types and axle loads were considered based on Turkish Highways General Directorate (KGM) standard loadings and TS EN 1991–2 Load Model 1. The three-dimensional bridge model, created with ANSYS APDL, was structured with realistic material properties and geometric details. Von Mises stress distributions and vertical displacement (Y component) were thoroughly assessed for each simulation, which was run for 200-time steps. The findings demonstrated that, especially in the mid-span of the arches and support sections, the random vehicle arrangement (Case 1) raised local stress concentrations, resulting in larger displacement and stress values. However, the scenario with the normal vehicle configuration produced a more balanced structural response (Case 2). By emphasizing the critical significance of load arrangement and vehicle types for assessing the performance of historic arch bridges against contemporary traffic loads, the study provides important insights for conservation and structural monitoring measures.