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Abstract
There are several methods to dimension concrete slabs due to vehicle loads, most of them based on Westergaard
theory. These methods have been developed for industrial vehicles (cars, trucks and forklifts). Considering agricultural
buildings one of the most used vehicles is the agricultural tractor whose characteristics (tires of great dimensions but
with a reduced contact surface) are different to those of the industrial vehicles. The goal of this research was to analyze
the applicability of the finite element method (FEM) to estimate the stresses generated on the concrete slabs considering
the loads transmitted by agricultural tractors. To achieve this objective, the effect of the loads transmitted by the rear
axle tires of three agricultural tractors has been considered. In parallel, the same study has been carried out using the
Westergaard theory. As a preliminary step, to validate the FEM, a numerical analysis has been made to obtain the
stresses generated on a concrete slab considering three forklifts. The numerical analysis results have been compared
with those obtained by mean of validated methods (Portland Cement Association) and the classical theory of
Westergaard. For each agricultural tractor, the actual geometry of the contact surface of tires has been measured on a
concrete slab and discretized by the FEM. As a result of the research process developed, it is possible to conclude that
the FEM is a valid tool to analyze the tensions generated by the loads transmitted by the tires of agricultural tractors
on concrete floors supported on the ground.
Additional key words: agricultural tractor; concrete slab; FEM; tire.
Introduction
Concrete floors of agro-industrial buildings are
commonly designed with slabs over the ground, which
are reinforced for shrinkage and expansion owing to
temperature changes. These slabs are designed to remain
uncracked due to loads placed on the surface. Shrinkage
cracking is controlled by a nominal or small amount
of distributed reinforcement placed in the upper half
of the slab. One of the most usual loads applied to the
slabs are those derived from vehicular traffic (Beskou
& Theodorakopoulos, 2011).
The American Concrete Institute suggests the following methods for selecting the thickness of the slab
due to vehicle loads (ACI, 2010): the Portland Cement
Association (PCA) method, the Wire Reinforcement
Institute (WRI) method, and the Corps of Engineers
48
L=
E h3
12 (1 2 ) K
[1]
b = 1.6 a 2 + h2 0.675 h
[3]
P
cd
E h3
0.275(1+
)
log
+ 0.293(1 )
[4]
10
2
4
c + d
h
K[(c + d) / 2]
49
Still R 70-80
Forklift model
Shell
model
Volumetric
model
Shell
model
1,210
504.24
949.8
4,550
3,340
10,535
10,612
Volumetric
model
Shell
model
1,447
410.43
1,095.8
5,287
3,840
92,623
81,592
13,235
13,300
Volumetric
model
1,570
641.00
981.4
5,010
3,440
142,845
128,752
12,761
12,820
137,631
123,952
50
Concrete
Forklifts rubber
Tractor rubber
Rear tire
Rear tire
pressure
(bar)
Density
(kg m3)
Young modulus
(MPa)
Poison
ratio
Massey
14.9-28 6 pr
Ferguson 277
0.7
1.1
1.1
8,389
8,389
11,524
1
2
3
2,300
1,000
1,153
27,264
100
203
0.15
0.47
0.47
0.7
1
1.3
13,441
13,441
13,441
4
5
6
New
Holland G 17
1.5
1.5
1.9
24,892
30,772
24,892
7
8
9
620/70R42
Figure 1. Example of the tire track obtained and its finite elements model (FEM) of the Massey Ferguson 277, with a tire
pressure of 1.1 bar (load case 2).
51
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
Volumetric model
Number
nodes
Number
elements
Number
nodes
Number
elements
10,563
10,509
10,965
13,355
13,365
12,929
18,623
18,359
18,795
10,230
10,188
10,570
12,958
12,964
12,636
18,196
17,980
18,342
48,727
48,673
49,129
62,903
62,913
62,477
123,581
123,317
123,753
38,480
38,448
38,830
49,678
49,684
49,684
104,796
104,580
104,942
1.769
1.619
1.471
1.323
1.174
1.026
0.877
0.729
0.581
0.432
0.284
0.136
0.013
z
x
52
Still R 70-50
Still R 70-80
Yale Gdp 100 D8
Maximum
bending stress
(MPa)
Maximum
bending stress
(MPa)
Error
(%)
Maximum
bending stress
(MPa)
Error
(%)
1.665
1.665
1.665
1.768
1.816
1.832
6,19
9,07
10,03
1.617
1.662
1.676
2.88
0.18
0.66
Table 6. Maximum bending stresses obtained by mean of the Westergaard theory and the FEM for the slab models for forklifts
Maximum bending stress-direction 1
Type
of forklift
FEM (MPa)
Error (%)
FEM (MPa)
Error (%)
Westergaard
Westergaard
(MPa)
(MPa)
Shell Volumetric Shell Volumetric
Shell Volumetric Shell Volumetric
Still R 70-50
Still R 70-80
Yale Gdp 100 D8
1.450
1.466
1.503
1.520
1.584
1.584
1.386
1.44
1.441
4.83
8.05
5.39
4.41
1.77
4.13
1.771
1.770
1.814
1.768
1.816
1.832
1.617
1.662
1.676
0.17
2.60
0.99
8.70
6.10
7.61
53
Table 7. Maximum bending stresses obtained by mean of the Westergaard theory and the FEM for slab models for agricultural tractors
Type
of tractor
Massey
1
Ferguson 277 2
3
1.188
1.268
1.529
1.250
1.325
1.626
1.012
1.070
1.321
5.22
4.50
6.34
14.81
15.62
13.60
1.352
1.431
1.731
1.377
1.446
1.805
1.117
1.174
1.461
1.85
1.05
4.27
17.38
17.96
15.60
Fiat 80-90 S
4
5
6
1.433
1.483
1.597
1.574
1.635
1.755
1.244
1.293
1.389
9.84
10.25
9.89
13.19
12.81
13.02
1.489
1.565
1.738
1.574
1.668
1.819
1.238
1.313
1.433
5.71
6.58
4.66
16.86
16.10
17.55
New Holland 7
G 17
8
9
1.404
1.520
1.608
1.519
1.615
1.731
1.282
1.361
1.467
8.19
6.25
7.65
8.69
9.99
8.77
1.563
1.671
1.801
1.632
1.738
1.870
1.377
1.467
1.588
4.41
4.01
3.83
11.90
12.21
11.83
1.668
1.518
1.369
1.219
1.069
0.920
0.770
0.620
0.470
0.321
0.171
0.021
0.128
z
x
54
a)
b)
1.313
1.091
0.869
0.647
0.425
0.203
0.019
0.242
0.464
0.686
0.908
1.130
1.352
1.313
1.091
0.869
0.647
0.425
0.203
0.019
0.242
0.464
0.686
0.908
1.130
1.352
z
x
z
x
Figure 5.. Bending stresses (MPa) in the bottom surface (a) and in the central section (b) of the slab obtained by means of the FEM
with a volumetric slab model for the tractor FIAT with a tire pressure of 1 bar (load case 5).
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