Bracing System Design Bracing systems serve a number of important roles in both straight and horizontally curved bridges. The braces provide stability to the primary girders as well as improving the lateral or torsional stiffness and strength of the bridge system both during construction and in service. Depending on the geometry of the bridge, braces…
Design for Constructibility In many cases, bridge designers concern themselves only with checking the stability and member stress levels in the structure for the in-service condition after erection of the entire superstructure is complete. But many times the critical stress in a particular component is encountered during the erection of the bridge where large unbraced…
Selecting the Right Bridge Type One of the initial choices to be made by the bridge designer is to select the most appropriate bridge type for the site. While this choice is not always straightforward, selecting the right structure type is probably the important aspect of designing a cost-effective bridge. This course provides bridge designers…
Structural Behavior of Steel The behavior of steel structures is an intricate and fascinating topic. This course is intended to serve as a guide to the AASHTO Load and Resistance Factor Design (LRFD) Specifications and their representation of the behavior of steel bridge systems and members. It focuses on the structural form and function of…
Steel Bridge Fabrication The methods employed in the fabrication of a bridge structure are as variable as the structure itself. Each fabricator has its own way of solving the problems associated with each structure. This course presents the basic concepts of fabricating steel bridge structures. It is intended to serve as a resource for the…
Mechanical Properties of Bridge Steels This course presents an overview of structural steel products that are used for steel bridge construction. It is intended to serve as a reference and educational tool for structural engineers involved with bridge design and evaluation. The primary focus is on steel plate and rolled shape products that are available…