Advanced Evaluation of Heavy Vehicle Impact on flexible road viaduct expansion joints

One of the most common challenges in maintaining viaduct decks in optimal condition is ensuring the durability and performance of road expansion joints (REJ). These elements are particularly susceptible to deterioration due to the continuous impact and dynamic loads generated by heavy vehicle traffic. This study focuses on the structural response of flexible REJ under such conditions and proposes an optimized method for simplified analysis of their behavior. The proposed methodology is validated through both theoretical and empirical approaches. The theoretical analysis compares the structural response of flexible REJ subjected to heavy vehicles at varying speeds, contrasting the results obtained using the proposed method with those derived from traditional Finite Element Method (FEM) simulations. Meanwhile, the empirical analysis is conducted by monitoring the in-service behavior of a flexible REJ installed on a pergola over a railway line within the Spanish motorway network. The findings demonstrate that the proposed approach provides reliable results while significantly reducing computational time, energy consumption, and CO₂ emissions compared to conventional methods. Furthermore, its straightforward integration into digital asset management systems enhances its applicability for infrastructure maintenance, offering a cost-effective and sustainable solution for optimizing the service life of REJ.