Nsba Basics of Steel Bridge Design Workshop

4/26/2020
Conceptual Layout
and Framing Plans
Francesco M Russo, PhD, PE
Michael Baker International
So … you want to design a steel bridge

• How and where do you start?
• Lots of important decisions to make
• span layout
• girder spacing
• splice locations
• cross frame locations
• preliminary girder sizing
• …and no hard math
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First … Let’s Pick the Bridge Type

Steel I-Beams Steel Box Beams
(Tub Girders)
• Less common
• The most common
• More frequently used
steel bridge by far for curved applications
I-Girder Bridges … some useful considerations

• If you “color inside these lines” simple analyses like line girder
methods are applicable. (important for later discussions on SIMON)
• Beam spacing <= 16 ft … Common

• Span Length <= 240 ft … Common
• 4 or more beams … Common
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Preliminary Design Resources
AASHTO / NSBA Design for Constructibility

Guidance and Rules of
Thumb
• Spacing
• Plate Thickness
• Material Availability
• Flange & Web Sizing
• Bracing
• Details
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NSBA Online Resources
From the Continuous Span Standards

Note – some predesigned layouts
are available
• Narrowest spacing 7’-6”
• Widest Spacing 12’-0”
Many span choices with center

spans from 150 – 300’
Spans assume end span = 78% of

center span
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Sample Design (I know you cant read this)
FHWA Resources
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Bridge Layout
• Let’s start at the beginning
• How wide?
• Generally “we” don’t decide
• There are “highway engineers” for that
• How long?
• Many possible constraints to consider
• How many spans?
• Simple / continuous / etc.
Bridge Layout
How many beams / what spacing ?
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Spacing & Overhangs

Goal – relative force / material balance between beams
S S S S
0 . 28 S 0 . 28 S
TO TO
0 . 35 S 0 . 35 S
General Thoughts on Beam Spacing

From the NSBA G12 Document consider the following:
• Owner preferences and limitations
• Cost of steel fabrication, transportation, and erection
• Deck thickness and forming methods
• Provisions for future widening
• Vertical clearances
Also provisions for redecking (beam in the middle ?)
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Typical Transverse Section

Example cross-section
• 40 ft roadway + 2 barriers at 1.5 ft = 43 ft out to out
• “X” beams @ “S” on center + 2 overhangs @ 0.28-0.35 “S”
• For a 4-beam section
• 3 beams at “S”
• 2 OH at 0.28 – 0.35 S
• S max = 12’-1” S min = 11’-7”
• For a 5-beam section
• 4 beams at “S”
• 2 OH at 0.28 – 0.35 S
• S max = 9’-5” S min = 9’-2”
From the NSBA Span Weight Curves
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Girder Spacing – Some Final Thoughts

• Always provide the same size interior/exterior girder
• Wider beam spacing tends to be more economical
• Balance this with the deck costs
• Use tools like SIMON (presented later) to explore different
numbers of beams and determine a reasonable solution
• There is rarely a “best” solution
• Find several “good” ones and make a choice
Span Layout – the “Balanced Span” Arrangement

Continuous spans preferred for multi-span bridge
In a balanced span, positive moments are nearly equal
Balanced Span Arrangement

“Balance” is achieved with end spans 75% - 82% of center span
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Balanced Span Example – 3 Spans, 616 ft Total Length

Solid Red Line – Balanced
• End span length ≈ 0.8
center span
• +M in end span ≈ 1.2
center span value
Blue Dashed Line –

Unbalanced
• End span length ≈ 0.93
center span
• +M in end span ≈ 2.5
center span value
• +M in end span ≈ 33%
greater than balanced
span value
What Size is the Girder ?

• A function of span
• A function of available depth
• A function of spacing
• A function of fabrication and shipping limitations
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Depth to Span Ratio

Composite Section
Suggested minimum overall depth of
composite I-beam:
0.040 L Simple spans DECK
0.032 L Continuous spans
L = total span length
AASHTO LRFD Article 2.5.2.6.3
Depth to Span Ratio

Bare Girder
Suggested minimum depth of I-beam portion only:
0.033 L Simple spans

0.027 L Continuous spans
L = total span length
•These rules – and those on the prior page –
generally lead to girders too shallow to be
economical
•Make the girder deeper if possible, but be
practical (less than 10ft deep)
AASHTO LRFD Article 2.5.2.6.3
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Minimum Web Thickness
(tw)min = 7/16”;
tw
½” preferred
Flange Proportioning Limits

bf
 12
2t f
AASHTO
D
bf  LRFD
Article
6
6.10.2.2
I yc
0.1   10
I yt
L
bf  AASHTO / NSBA Suggestion
85
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Bracing Considerations
• Determine a suitable
brace type
• Determine a
functional layout
• Old rules still good
rules
• i.e. the old 25 ft
rule
Selection of Beam Bracing

Brace
spacing
influences
flexural
strength
But don’t go
crazy
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Spacing Requirements
Closer Spacing Larger Spacing
Lower cross-frame forces Larger cross-frame forces
Lower lateral flange Larger lateral flange

moments moments
Higher compression-flange Lower compression-flange
capacity capacity
Higher cross-frame cost Lower cross-frame cost
Spacing Requirements
Preliminary Spacing – Straight I-Girder Bridges
Simple Spans & Positive Moment Regions in

18 to 25 ft
End Spans
Positive Moment Regions in Interior Spans 24 to 30 ft
Negative Moment Regions 18 to 24 ft
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Layout
Skews ≤ 20 degrees, may
be placed parallel to
supports
Skews > 20 degrees, must

be placed perpendicular
to girders and typically
placed in a contiguous
pattern
AASHTO LRFD Article 6.7.4.2
Field Sections / Splice

Locations
Again from G12
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Where does the splice go ?

People generally
say the splice
goes “at the
point of
inflection”
What does that

mean?
FHWA SBDH Example 1
• 3-span continuous steel I-

beam bridge
• 140-175-140
• 40’ roadway (43’ out to out)
• 4 beams @ 12’ center and 3’-
6” overhangs
• Does this make sense ?
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Typical Section
3.5’ = 0.29S
Span Layout
3 Spans, 140-175-140 (0.8L – L – 0.8L)
Balanced Span Arrangement

End spans 75% - 82% of center span
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Field Section Lengths
Conclusion
• Major design decisions we just made drive the cost of the
entire project
• Once these choices are made, the engineer has just locked in
a major component of the price of the job
• Important to spend time “optimizing” this aspect of the
design
• To reiterate, there isn’t a “perfect” solution. Study a few
“good” ones and make a choice
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4/26/2020

So … you want to design a steel bridge

First … Let’s Pick the Bridge Type

I-Girder Bridges … some useful considerations

• Beam spacing <= 16 ft … Common

Preliminary Design Resources

AASHTO / NSBA Design for Constructibility

NSBA Online Resources

From the Continuous Span Standards

Many span choices with center

Spans assume end span = 78% of

Sample Design (I know you cant read this)

Spacing & Overhangs

General Thoughts on Beam Spacing

Also provisions for redecking (beam in the middle ?)

Typical Transverse Section

From the NSBA Span Weight Curves

Girder Spacing – Some Final Thoughts

Span Layout – the “Balanced Span” Arrangement

Balanced Span Arrangement

Balanced Span Example – 3 Spans, 616 ft Total Length

Blue Dashed Line –

What Size is the Girder ?

Depth to Span Ratio

0.040 L Simple spans DECK

0.032 L Continuous spans

L = total span length

AASHTO LRFD Article 2.5.2.6.3

Depth to Span Ratio

0.033 L Simple spans

Minimum Web Thickness

Flange Proportioning Limits

Selection of Beam Bracing

Closer Spacing Larger Spacing

Lower cross-frame forces Larger cross-frame forces

Lower lateral flange Larger lateral flange

Simple Spans & Positive Moment Regions in

Positive Moment Regions in Interior Spans 24 to 30 ft

Negative Moment Regions 18 to 24 ft

Skews > 20 degrees, must

Field Sections / Splice

Again from G12

Where does the splice go ?

What does that

FHWA SBDH Example 1

• 3-span continuous steel I-

• Does this make sense ?

Balanced Span Arrangement

Field Section Lengths

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