Structural evaluation of tied-arch and truss bridges subjected to wind and traffic loading

ABSTRACT: It has been years that bridge designers and engineers are not only concerned about stability of bridge structures but being concerned about their efficiency and aesthetic as well. Nowadays, as the need is greater than ever, tied-arch bridges and truss bridges have proven they have been of interest to bridge designers when span range of 40 to 550 m are required. As of today most bridges in this range of span uses in countries like United States, Japan, China and Australia are tied-arch and truss bridges. The aim of the thesis is to investigate the structural behavior of these bridges when they subjected to wind and traffic loading and their efficiency comparing to each other. To do so, two tied-arch bridges and two truss bridges with long and medium span has been designed according to AASHTO LRFD specifications and then analyzed by MIDAS Civil software according to the load defined in specification in order to evaluate stability, aesthetic and economy of each bridge. The steel weight needed for the long and medium span bridges is assessed from the final design to compare and evaluate tied-arch bridge and truss bridge efficiency. These results are compared together in order to identify the most optimal bridge. …………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………