Horizontally Curved Steel Bridge Girders
Horizontally Curved Steel Bridge Girders
(OP)
Shortly I'm going to begin preliminary design of a horizontally curved (2-span) steel girder bridge using LRFD methodology. Other than AASHTO-LRFD manual, which I have, anyone know of other references? Solved example problems would also be great. Thanks.






RE: Horizontally Curved Steel Bridge Girders
The best reference I can recommend is the AISC Bridge Handbooks that can be found at www.aisc.org. Look for the Highway Structures Design Handbooks Second Edition.
I suggest you find some good software to do it for you if the curvature is great enough to require the in-depth analysis. If the curvature will allow the partial stress analysis then you can spreadsheet it fairly easily.
Currently the NSBA will rent their V-Load Program or you can use MDX www.mdx.com but it's about 6k. If you are good enough with finite element analysis the new edition of STAAD Pro will do true curvilinear elements. You would have to model the girders with elements instead of just the section props.
Good Luck,
MikeD
RE: Horizontally Curved Steel Bridge Girders
Talk to Dr. Leon Lai, P.E., Specialty Engineering, Inc. (215) 428-2995. For details.
Martin Dragan, PE
RE: Horizontally Curved Steel Bridge Girders
Design examples for curved I and box girder bridges has been recently published by AASHTO. This is the work of Dann H Hall, Michael A Grubb (Bridge Software Development International Ltd. PA) and Chai H Yoo (Professor, Auburn Univ). The example are detailed along with commentary.