Software for Precast Bridge Girder 3

[jike]

Can anyone suggest a reasonably priced software package for designing precast bridge girders? Our office does a few bridges each year but not enough to justify an expensive program. I would prefer one where non standard loadings can be used.

 

[jimaitken]

Look at PSBeam from Eriksson Technologies

http://www.lrfd.com/

Leap software's CONSPAN is good but I think is more expensive.

http://www.leapsoft.com/

Both companies offer leasing options for the software.

Some state DOT's also have in-house programs that work adequately and are usually free. You would need to contact them directly to see how to gain access.

 

[MichSt]

Florida DOT has a free Mathcad sheet for simple span prestressed concrete beams per AASHTO LRFD here:

http://www.dot.state.fl.us/Structures/proglib.htm

Assuming you have Mathcad and use LRFD this is an option for you. I’m not sure if it handles non-standard loadings, but since it’s in Mathcad you can modify the sheet as necessary for your design.

 

[TampaBridgeDesign]

As MichSt indicated FDOT has a pretty good program available. While TxDOT doesn't have a software program available, they do a a decent example.

http://www.dot.state.tx.us/publications/bridge/prestress_beam_ex.pdf

 

[jimaitken]

jike

Another good resource for LRFD design is Washington State DOT. They have a prestressed girder analysis program (PGsuper) and HL-93 live load analysis program (QCON Bridge). These programs are free to download.

http://www.wsdot.wa.gov/eesc/bridge/software/

I have not used the PGsuper program but have used QCON to run live load for a project I was working on. It worked well.

As MichSt and Tampa suggested the FLDOT mathcad sheet is a good starting point and you could always modify the sheet to use LFD, the design is essentially the same, just the loading changes.

Good Luck.

 

[TampaBridgeDesign]

Here is another LRFD prestressed concrete beam bridge design example from the Minnesota DOT website. The example starts on page 5-71.

http://www.dot.state.mn.us/bridge/Manuals/LRFD/section05.pdf