FINITE ELEMENT ANALYSIS OF T-GIRDER BRIDGES

Abstract

The fundamental problem in bridge design is to determine the effect of a single concentrated load on the structure. Due to interconnection of bridge deck with longitudinal girders and cross beams, loads acting on a girder or bridge deck get distributed to other girders. The conventional load distribution methods are cumbersome and involve great deal of computational work. Now with the advent of commercial Finite Element software it becomes quite easy to employ Finite Element method in the analysis of bridges. So in this study T-girder bridges are analysed by Finite Element method, using `ANSYS' which is a FEM based software. In the present study five T-girder bridge models having different dimensional properties are analysed. The varying properties such as longitudinal span, carriageway width, no of longitudinal and transverse girders, are used. The load distributions obtained shows that it depends upon longitudinal as well as transverse position of the load which is ignored in most of the conventional load distribution theories. The moments obtained in the girders by the load distribution theories are on the conservative side.