Truss Bridge

Truss girder are triangulated framed structures, in

which the arrangement of members and joints at their
ends are such that the external loads are applied to the
joints and the centroidal axes of members meet at a
point of joint.

The members of truss are classified as chord members

and the web members. Horizontal members are chord
members and vertical and diagonal members are web
members. The chord members carry bending moment in
the form of direct tension or compression and the
vertical and diagonal members carry the shear force in
the form of direct tension or compression
Components of Truss Bridge

Bracing
Top Chord Joint Vertical
Diagonal Member
Member

Bridge Deck

Bottom Chord

Negative aspects
Positive aspects  Reduces vertical clearances above the afflux
due to its depth
 Easy to construct  Requires thorough maintenance regularly
 Has rigid structure and can cover  No longer economically competitive
relatively larger span (300m)  Gives rough appearance
Components of Truss Bridge

Top Lateral Bracing

Portal Bracing

Sway Bracing

Bottom Lateral Bracing

Stringer

Floor Beam
(Cross Beam)

Bearing
Types of Truss Bridge
Deck Truss Bridge
Truss Bridge
Through Truss Bridge
Half Through Truss Bridge

Deck Truss
Bridge

Half Through
Truss Bridge

Through
Truss Bridge
Through Truss Bridge
General Arrangements of Through Truss Bridge

Elevation

Sectional Plan
 Elevation

Cross Section of Truss

Members
Bottom Bracing
Plan

Top Bracing
Plan

Cross Section of
Braces
 Design Steps of Truss Bridge
1. Select appropriate type/form of truss and decide panel no and depth of truss
and arrange components of bridge deck on truss and give their approximate sizes.

Parallel Chord Warren Truss

Span coverage 30 to 50m

Curve Chord Warren Truss

Span coverage 50 to 75m

Parallel Chord Pratt Truss

Span coverage 30 to 50m

Curve Chord Pratt Truss

Span coverage 50 to 75m

K Type Truss
Span coverage 75 to 150m

When panel length is large, subdivided panel in lower chord of truss may be introduced in
Warren, Pratt, K and other type trusses
 H’ H

α
L

(Height of Truss)

H’’
H’ H
B

D’ S Usually sections built by I, angle and

D channel sections are used as truss
members. Their preliminary sizes are
decided by the approximate axial
loads on the respective truss members
Commonly used
section for top chord ≈H’’/10

Commonly used section ≈H’’/10

for web member

Commonly used section ≈H’’/10

for bottom chord

H’’ - Centre to centre distance

between top and bottom chords
2. Select quality of steel for truss member and fasteners for connection

Steel for truss member is selected according to the standard of BIS.

BIS recommends 9 grades of steel as structural steels. They are designated as E165,
E250 (A), E250 (B), E250 (C), E300, E350, E410, E450 (D) and E450 (E)

Mostly E250 grade of steel is used in truss member.

Properties
Yield Stress
Grade /
(MPa) U. Tensile Stress Elongation
Classification
(MPa) (%)
<20mm 20-40mm >40mm

E165 165 165 165 290 23

E250 (A) 250 240 230 410 23
E250 (B) 250 240 230 410 23
E250 (C) 250 240 230 410 23
E300 300 290 280 440 22
E350 350 330 320 490 22
E410 410 390 380 540 20
E450 (D) 450 430 420 570 20
E450 (E) 450 430 420 590 20
Types of Bolts Used in the Bolted Connection as Fasteners

Bolts used in connection may be

o Unfinished (black bolts) or turned bolts depending upon the type of shank of bolts
o Ordinary or high strength bolts depending upon the material and strength of bolts
o Regular or heavy depending upon the shape of the head and the nut of bolts
o Standard (coarse) or fine depending upon the pitch and fit of the thread of bolts

 The bolts are available in large range of sizes

Most common ones are M12, M14, M16, M18, M20, M24, M27, M30,
M33, M36 and M39

 IS 1367:2002 classifies
bolts in to property classes 3.6, 4.6, 4.8, 5.6,
5.8, 8.8, 9.8, 10.9, 12.9 depending upon the strength of bolts

 In steel truss bridge, generally bolts of 8.8 and 10.9 property class,
unfinished high strength bolts and M16 - M24 size of bolts are used.
3. Design components of bridge floor deck

i. Design Deck Slab

Design of deck slab of truss floor depends on the support conditions of slab. It is
analysed and designed by Pigeaud’s method or by conventional methods whichever is
appropriate.

Ii. Design Stringer

Stringer is made up of single rolled steel section. So stringer is designed as simple steel
beam of single rolled steel section. It is designed in bending, shear and lateral
stability and checked for deflection.

Approximate self wt. of stringer = 1 KN/m

iii. Design Cross Beam as a Simple Steel Beam /Plate Girder

Cross beam may be of single rolled steel section or it may be plate girder depending
upon the span of cross beam and cross beam is designed accordingly. It should be
designed in bending, shear, lateral stability and checked for deflection.

Approximate self wt. of cross beam = 0.2L + 1 KN/m L – span of cr. beam
4. Analyze and design truss member

• Find self weight of truss and other dead load and distribute the loads on each joint of
truss. We can use Fuller’s formula to determine self wt. of truss and bracings
Approximate total self weight of truss and bracing per unit length = 0.15 × L + 5.5 KN/m
L – Span of truss Fuller’s formula is valid for 100 m span of bridge

• Draw IL diagram of truss members for axial loads and position live load
longitudinally to get maximum responses.

L0 L1

ILD of L0L1for axial force

• Position the live load transversely in such a way so that the reaction on one truss is
maximum. Distribute live loads on trusses by simple beam theory or lever arm
method. Find responses (Axial Force) of truss member using ILD.

AF in truss mem. = ∑Point load × ordinate of ILD + UDL × occupied area of ILD by load
• Design truss member as tension / compression member

Check
σt ≤σat for tension member (WSDM)
T ≤Td (LSDM) Refer IRC 24 – 2010

σc ≤σac for compression member (WSDM)

P ≤Pd (LSDM) Refer IRC 24 – 2010

Where, σt , σat – tensile stress and allowable tensile stress in steel

σc , σac – compressive stress and allowable compressive stress in steel
T , Td - Design tensile load and design tensile strength of member
P , Pd - Design compressive load and design compressive strength of member

• Design connection of truss members

Design the connection as a simple
connection for hinged truss and as an
eccentric connection for fixed truss. Find
size of weld, length of weld and
arrangement of weld for welded connection
and dia. of bolt, no. of bolts and
arrangement of bolts for bolted connection
• Design Bracing
Design of top horizontal bracing
Top horizontal bracing is designed for wind load acting at the c.g. of top chord. In addition it is
designed for transverse shear force at any section equal to 2.5% of the sum of compressive
force in both top chords at the section under consideration.
For the analysis it is assumed that the diagonal member which is in tension only work and the
member is designed as Tension Member.

Design of bottom horizontal bracing

Bottom horizontal bracing is designed for wind load acting at the c.g. of bottom chord. In
addition racking force of 6 KN/m may be considered.
For the analysis it is assumed that the diagonal member which is in tension only work and the
member is designed as Tension Member.

Design of portal bracing

End posts of truss are tied together to provide transverse bracing called portal bracing.
Portal bracing gives rigid frame at the entrance of bridge. The portal bracing is designed to
resist the full end reaction due to wind load on the top lateral bracing. It is designed as a
fixed portal frame.

Design of sway bracing

Sway bracings are provided at all intermediate points of truss. Sway bracing are designed as
portal bracing for their respective wind load.