Tutorial on PSC I-Girder

Composite Bridge
Last revised on: 01/11/2023
Software version used: 2024

Prepared by:

Official Partner of SOFiSTiK AG

Downloads

Download the files using the below given links and move ahead to the given steps as these files
will be used in the tutorial. These download links have been repeated in the tutorial as and
when needed but once you have downloaded all files from this page, you need not redownload
the files from the later pages of this tutorial.
+ PSC Composite GAD Download Link
+ Moving Load Download link
+ Non-linear Temperature gradient load download link
+ Action Manager Download link
+ Load Combinations Download link

Tutorial on PSC Composite Bridge | 2

Contents

+ Project Overview
+ Modelling using SOFiPLUS-X
+ Step 1 : Download GAD
+ Step 2 : Input System Information
+ Step 3 : Define Properties
+ Step 4 : Convert CAD lines to Structural Members
+ Step 5 : Add Supports and Links
+ Loads using SOFiPLUS-X
+ Step 6 : Define Load Cases
+ Step 7 : Assign Temperature Loads
+ Step 8 : Assign Wearing Coat Load
+ Step 9 : Assign Crash Barrier Load
+ Step 10 : Wet Concrete Load
+ Step 11 : Define Prestressing System
+ Step 12 : Create Axes
+ Step 13 : Define Tendon Geometry
+ Automatic Meshing
+ Step 14 : Export Model to SSD
+ Actions for Loads & Combination
+ Step 15 : Define Actions
+ Construction Stage Analysis using SSD Task
+ Step 16 : Definition of Stages
+ Step 17 : Assign Groups & Loads to Stages
+ Loads using Text file in SSD
+ Step 18 : Moving Loads
+ Step 19 : Non-linear Temperature Loads
+ Step 20 : Linear Analysis
+ Load Combinations
+ Structure and Load Review in SOFiSTiK Graphics
+ Analysis Results in SOFiSTiK Graphics
+ Analysis Results in Table using SOFiSTiK Result Viewer
+ Interactive Graphics task to generate Report
+ Custom Report Generation

Tutorial on PSC Composite Bridge | 3

Overview
This tutorial is of a single span curved and skewed post tensioned concrete multi-girder bridge.
The analytical model of the bridge consists of beam and shell elements (Girder, Diaphragm and
Deck).
Design Code: This tutorial is based on IRC 112.

Step 1 : Download GAD

Tutorial on PSC Composite Bridge | 4

Modelling using SOFiPLUS-X

Step 2 : Input System Information

+ Open SSD and click on ‘New Project’.

+ Click on the folder icon next to the ‘Name’ and browse to the folder where the new project
along with the temporary files will be saved. This is the name of the project file. Input of the
‘Title’ for printing it at the top of software generated reports is optional.
+ Select the Design Code as ‘IS’ and ‘IRC112’.
+ Make sure that the System is ‘3D’ and the Gravity Direction is ‘Negative Z-Axis.

+ Under the Regional Properties, click on to set the Units as ‘Structural Engineering
(sections in mm, system in m).

+ Click on ‘OK’ to apply the changes and close the system information dialog box.

Figure 2.1: System Information

Tutorial on PSC Composite Bridge | 5

Modelling using SOFiPLUS-X

Step 3 : Define Properties (Materials & Cross Sections)

Note

Since SOFiPLUS is in AutoCAD, a practice of saving the project file (Ctrl+S) is recommended.

+ Inside the SSD (SOFiSTiK Structural Desktop), go to

Project Navigation Tree or Task Tree and right click
on M 20 material and click on ‘Edit’.
+ Select ‘Classification: 40’ for M 40 grade concrete as shown in Figure 3.1. Select ‘normal
hardening’ for the ‘Kind of Cement’. M 40 concrete will be used for girders.
+ Click on ‘OK’ to apply the changes and close the material definition dialog box.
Figure 3.1: Material Definition

Figure 3.2: Clone Material

+ Right click on ‘Materials’ and click on ‘New Material from Design Code’.

+ Select ‘Classification: 35’ for M 35 grade concrete, ‘normal hardening’ for the ‘Kind of Cement’
and click on ‘OK’. M 35 concrete will be used for diaphragms and the deck.
+ Right-click on ‘M 35’ material and click on ‘Clone’ as shown in Figure 3.2.
+ Right-click on the cloned material and click on ‘Edit’.
+ Rename the material to ‘M 35 (IRC 112) Zero Weight’, check-on
‘Self weight’ to change its value to ‘0’ and click on ‘OK’.
This material will be used for the stiffness of the deck slab
in the composite section without any weight to avoid duplication
of the self weight of the slab. The self weight of the slab will
be considered from the shell/slab element. Tutorial on PSC Composite Bridge | 6
+ Right click on ‘Materials’ and click on ‘New Material from Design Code’.

+ Select ‘Type: (IRC 112) Prestressing Steel’ and ‘Classification: 1500’ for Fy 1500 grade steel
tendon, and click on ‘OK’. Tendons of 1500 Mpa yield strength will be used.

Figure 3.3: Prestress Material Definition

List of Materials defined:-

Cross Section: To define the cross sections,

+ Inside the SSD (SOFiSTiK Structural Desktop), go to Project Navigation Tree or Task Tree
and right click on ‘Cross Sections’ and select New Standard Section > click on ‘Rectangle
Beam’ as shown in Figure 3.4 below.

Figure 3.4: Cross Section Definition

Tutorial on PSC Composite Bridge | 7
+ Input the following data for end diaphragms and click OK:
+ Material = 3 M 35 (IRC 112)
+ H = 450 mm
+ B = 1000 mm
+ Reference Point = Top centre

Figure 3.5: Rectangle Beam Definition

+ Similarly, add ‘New Standard Section > Rectangle Beam’ and input the following data for
middle diaphragm and click OK:
+ Material = 3 M 35 (IRC 112)
+ H = 300 mm
+ B = 1000 mm
+ Reference Point = Top centre

+ Right click on ‘Cross Sections’ and select ‘New Solid Section > click on ‘Reinforced Concrete’
as shown in the Fig. 3.6 below. This will open in SOFiPLUS-X. Reinforced Concrete includes
concrete composite sections.

Figure 3.6: Reinforced

Concrete Beam Definition
for PSC composite

Tutorial on PSC Composite Bridge | 8

+ Input the ‘Name: PSC Mid’.

Figure 3.7: Section

Properties General
Definition

+ Go to ‘Stages’ tab in the Section Properties dialogue box and Click on ‘New’. Click on ‘OK’ to
define stage no. ’10’ as shown in Fig. 3.8 below.

Figure 3.8: Section Properties > Stages Definition

+ Repeat the above step to define stage no. 30 and rename the ‘Name’ for each stage as
Girder Activation and Deck Activation respectively.
+ Click ‘OK’ as shown in the Fig. 3.9 below.

Figure 3.9: Section Properties Definition

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+ Open the CAD reference file, ‘Composite GAD.dwg’. Press ‘CTRL+SHIFT+C’ from keyboard.
Select top centre of the girder as the base point (refer to Fig. 3.10 below), press enter, select
the two cross sections and press enter to complete the command. The top center of girder will
be the section offset position.

Figure 3.10: Copying

Sections from GAD

+ Go to the project file in SOFiPLUS-X [Cross Section Editor environment] and press ‘CTRL+V’.
In the command line, input ‘0,0,0’ coordinate position and press ‘enter’ from keyboard. The
origin is the position of element. The section offset is, thus, set here.

+ The section pastes upside down as per system information. We shall ‘Mirror’ the sections
using AutoCAD ribbon > Home > Modify > Mirror. Select the two cross sections and right-
click. Click on two points as shown in the Fig. 3.11 below and when prompted to delete the
original cross-sections, click on ‘Yes’.

Figure 3.11: Mirror

the cross-section

+ In the SOFiPLUS task tree, go to ‘Cross Section Editor’ as shown in Fig. 3.12 below.
+ Under ‘Solid Cross Section’, click ‘Boundary’. Select the Material M 40 (IRC 112) and
Construction Stages Start as ‘10 Girder Activation’ as shown in the Fig. 3.13 below.

Figure 3.13: Boundary of I girder

Figure 3.12: Solid Cross Section > Boundary
+ In the command line, click on ‘POInt in area’.

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+ Click inside the Girder periphery as shown in the Fig. 3.14 below.

Figure 3.14: Picking point inside cross section.

+ Boundary dialogue box > Material, select ‘4 M 35 (IRC 112) Zero Weight’ and under
Construction Stages, select ‘Start: 30 Deck Activation’. Click inside the Deck periphery as
shown in the Figure 3.15 below.

Figure 3.15: Picking point inside cross section.

+ Press ESC twice and Click the ‘Calculate’ icon. You may press F2 to check the
properties defined in the command line.

+ Click ‘Close’ and ‘Save’ the changes made to the cross section editor.

Figure 3.16: Save the cross section.

Note

The stage number is generated with appropriate gap to add steps in between. Generally, activation of members is given
to stage numbers 10, 20, 30… Loads are activated in stages 11, 21, 31… Creep and Shrinkage are activated in stages
15, 25, 35… This makes it easier to identify type of stage later.

Tutorial on PSC Composite Bridge | 11

+ In the SOFiPLUS task tree, go to ‘System’.
+ Right-click on ‘3 PSC Mid’ cross section and click on ‘Clone’ to duplicate the already defined
cross section. Click on ‘OK’ as shown in Fig. 3.17 below.

Figure 3.17: Cloning of cross section.

+ Right-click on ‘ 4 PSC Mid’ and click on ‘Properties’ as shown in Fig. 3.18 below.

Figure 3.18: Editing the cross section.

+ Input ‘Name: PSC End’. Click on ‘OK’.

Figure 3.19: Naming the cross

section.

Figure 3.20: Moving vertices of cross section.

+ Move or copy the end cross section over the mid cross section. Drag the highlighted vertices
to convert the mid section to end section. Refer to Fig. 3.20 above.

+ Click the ‘Calculate’ icon. Click on ‘Close’ and ‘Save’ the changes.

Tutorial on PSC Composite Bridge | 12

Modelling using SOFiPLUS-X

Step 4 : Convert CAD lines to Structural Members

+ From the reference CAD file, copy the Bridge Plan with a base point (lower right corner is
preferable) and paste it in the workspace of the project at 0,0,0 coordinate.

Figure 4.1: Copy Geometry from GAD Figure 4.2: Line Structural Element.

+ Go to Structural Elements tab in the task tree and click on ‘Line’ as shown in the Fig. 4.2.
+ Under the beam/Cable tab, Select Element type as ‘Eccentric Beam’ since our cross section
has eccentric offset from center of cross section.
+ Select the Start and End Cross Sections as ‘3: PSC Mid’ from the drop-down menus.

Figure 4.3: Selection of cross section for line.

+ Click on ‘Pick lines or Curves’ from command line to select the centre-lines of the girders as
shown in the Fig. 4.4 below. Thick yellow line over the CAD line confirms the structural line
modeling.

Figure 4.4: Selection of cross

section for line.

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+ Similarly, select ‘4: PSC End’ Cross section property and click the CAD lines at the respective
positions.

Figure 4.5: Selection of cross section & end line elements

+ To create tapered girders from End to Mid, Select the Start as ‘4: PSC End’ and End as ‘3:
PSC Mid’. Click the CAD lines respectively as shown in Fig. 4.6 below.

Figure 4.6: Selection of cross section & left tapered line elements.

+ Similarly, to create the tapered girders from Mid to End on the other end of the span, select
the Start as ‘3: PSC Mid’ and End as ‘4: PSC End’. Click the CAD lines respectively.

Figure 4.7: Selection of cross section & right tapered line elements

+ In the Structural Line dialogue box, go to General tab and change the Group number to 2.
This group number will be assigned to diaphragms.

Figure 4.8: Change group number for diaphragms

Tutorial on PSC Composite Bridge | 14
+ Go to Beam/Cable tab and select Start and End cross section as ‘1 : B/H = 450/1000’. Pick
the diaphragm CAD lines as shown in the Fig. 4.9 below.

Figure 4.9: Selection of cross section & end diaphragm line elements
+ Select Start and End cross section as ‘2 : B/H = 300/1000’ and pick the diaphragm CAD line
as shown in the Fig. 4.10 below.

Figure 4.10: Selection of cross section & mid diaphragm line elements
+ Press Esc twice to end the command.
+ Generate the Deck using Area member. In the SOFiPLUS tree > Structural Elements tab,
click Area. In the General tab, input ‘Group’ number as 3. Select Material as ‘3: M 35 (IRC
112) Deck’ and input ‘Thickness’ = 230.0 mm.

Figure 4.11: General information for Area elements

+ Go to ‘Geometry’ tab and select Element alignment as ‘negative local z’. This assigns
thickness offset to the deck member.

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+ In the command line, click on ‘ELEMents’ to select the polyline of the deck as shown in the
Fig. 4.11 below and press ‘Enter’. Confirm the area element generation by seeing blue
periphery and at the center of the deck ‘Area (1)’ is denoted.

Figure 4.11: Selection of periphery lines for Area element

+ Press ESC twice to end the command. This completes the modelling of the structural
members of the PSC Composite I Girder Bridge.

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Modelling using SOFiPLUS-X

Step 5 : Add Supports and Links

+ In the SOFiPLUS tree > ‘Structural Elements’ tab, click on ‘Point’ and define pinned support
conditions by checking on the boxes to constrain PX, PY, PZ, and MX under ‘Support
Conditions’ tab as shown in the figure 5.1.

Figure 5.1: Selection of support

constraints

+ Place the support by clicking on the intersection of the longest girder and the diaphragm as
shown in the Fig. 5.2 below.

Figure 5.2: Point for support condition

+ Press ESC twice to come out of the command.
+ Select and Move this support for 1.45 m in downward direction using simple AutoCAD
commands in isometric view. (Use F8 Ortho On). This step will move the pinned support to
the bearing location as shown in the Fig. 5.3 below.

Figure 5.3: Move the support point

+ Press ESC twice to come out of the command.

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 + Click on ‘Point Constraint’ as shown in the Fig. 5.4 below.
+ Draw the link from support to the girder top as shown in the Fig. 5.4 below. Sequence of
clicking on nodes will not affect the results.

Figure 5.4: Selection

of point constraints

+ Press ESC twice to come out of the command.

+ Select the pinned support and point constraint by clicking on them. Copy them, using the
‘Copy’ command in 3D (isometric view), to all the remaining intersections of the girders and
the end diaphragms. Once copied, at all the desired locations, press Esc to come out of the
copy command.

Figure 5.5: Copying

Supports

+ In the task tree, click on beside Point command as shown in the Fig. 5.6 below. Select
the supports of the ends and press enter from keyboard.

Figure 5.6: Editing

the Supports

+ Edit the Support Conditions to release the PX and MX.

+ Press ‘OK’ to complete the command. Rails along the X-axis under the edited supports
indicate that the support is free to translate along the X-axis.
Tutorial on PSC Composite Bridge | 18
Loads using SOFiPLUS-X

Step 6 : Define Load Cases

+ Click on Loads tab. Click on Loadcase Manager as shown in Fig. 6.1 below.

Figure 6.1: Opening Figure 6.2: Add New Action

Loadcase Manager

+ Under ‘Actions’ tab, click on ‘New’. Under ‘User defined action’, input T for ‘Action’, 1 for
‘Category’ and Constant Temperature for ‘Description’. Click ‘OK’ to add the new action as
shown in Fig. 6.2. Input Gama-U as 1.00.

+ Go to the Loadcases tab and click New to add the following five load cases.
+ ‘CB’ with Action ‘None’ will include the crash barrier load.
+ ‘WC’ with Action ‘None’ will include the wearing coarse.
+ ‘Wet Concrete’ with Action ‘None’ load to define the in-situ weight of the deck on the girders.
+ ‘Prestress’ with Action ‘None’ to stress the tendons.
+ ‘Temp +ve and –ve’ with Action ‘T_1 Constant Temperature’ to assign temperature rise and fall as
per Cl. 215.2 IRC:6.

+ Click ‘OK’ to save the input

and close the dialog box.

Figure 6.3: Adding Load cases

Note

Action for loads to be activated during construction stage is kept as ‘None’ as these loads will take the action from the
construction stages. As per Cl. 5.4 IRC 112-2020, Action G_1 is used for self-weight, G_2 for permanent dead loads,
P for Prestressing and so on. Temperature load will be applied after construction stages; therefore, the action is defined
here. Self-weight is automatically activated in Construction Stages; therefore, a load case for Self-weight is not defined
here in the Action and Loadcase Manager.
Tutorial on PSC Composite Bridge | 19
Loads using SOFiPLUS-X

Step 7 : Assign Linear Temperature Loads

+ Click on ‘Line Load’ as shown in the Fig. 7.1 below. Select the girder lines and press enter.

Figure 7.1: Element Line Load

+ Input the following data and click on ‘OK’:

+ Name = Temp +ve
+ Load Case = 5 Temp+ve
+ Class = Temperature
+ P = 15.00֩ C

Figure 7.2: Temperature Load

+ Similarly, for temperature fall, input the following data and click on ‘OK’.
+ Name = Temp -ve
+ Load Case = 6 Temp-ve
+ Class = Temperature
+ P = -10.00֩ C

Figure 7.3: Temperature Load

Tutorial on PSC Composite Bridge | 20
Loads using SOFiPLUS-X

Step 8 : Assign Wearing Coarse Load

+ Click on ‘Area Load’. Select the Deck (Area Element) and press enter from keyboard.

Figure 8.1: Element Area Load

+ Input the following data as shown in the Fig. 8.2 below and click ‘OK’.
+ Name: WC
+ Load Case: 2 – WC
+ P = 1.43 kN/m2

Figure 8.2: Wearing Course Area Load

+ Here, the density of wearing coarse is considered as 22 kN/m3 and thickness is given as 65
mm which makes the uniform pressure value of 22*0.065=1.43 kN/m2.

Tutorial on PSC Composite Bridge | 21

Loads using SOFiPLUS-X

Step 9 : Assign Crash Barrier Load

+ We shall use the Free Line load to apply the crash barrier load as it lies on the deck using the
available CAD lines.
+ Click on Free Loads > ‘Line Load’ as shown in the Fig. 9.1 shown below.

Figure 9.1: Free Line Load

+ Input the following data as shown in the Fig. 9.2 below.

+ Name = Crash Barrier
+ Load Case = 1 – CB
+ Reference = Structural Area (GAR)
+ P = 10.00 kN/m

Figure 9.2: Input for

Free Line Load

+ Click on ‘Pick Lines or curves’ from command line. Click the Lines as shown in Fig. 9.3 below.

+ Click on the two CAD lines highlighted in figure 9.3.

Figure 9.3: Selection of

CAD lines for Free Line
Load

+ Press ESC twice to come out of the command.

Tutorial on PSC Composite Bridge | 22

Loads using SOFiPLUS-X

Step 10 : Assign Wet Concrete Load

+ Firstly, we define the ‘Load Distribution Area’ covering the entire deck. Click on Free Loads >
‘Load Distribution Area’. Select ‘Affected Group: Group 1’ as shown in the Fig. 10.1 below.

Figure10.1: Load Distribution Area

+ Use the Rectangle option from the command line and draw a rectangle covering the entire
deck in the plan-view.

Figure10.2: Draw Rectangle for Load Distribution Area

+ Press Esc twice to come out of the command.
+ Go to Filter tab and check on ‘Filter Structure by Type and Group’. Use of ‘Show Elements of
type’ drop-down menu. Right-click and click on ‘Uncheck all items’. Check on ‘Other Autocad
objects’. Click outside the drop-down menu.

Tutorial on PSC Composite Bridge | 23

+ Check on ‘Filter Loads by type and Loadcase’ as shown in the Fig. 10.3 below.

+ Select the Load distribution area on workspace and right-click > Isolate > ‘Hide Objects’.

+ Select the block of the deck periphery. Right-click, Isolate > ‘Isolate Objects’.

Figure10.3: Isolate Objects

+ Go to Loads tab and click on Free Loads > ‘Area load’ and input the following data
+ Name = Wet Concrete
+ Loadcase = 3 - Wet Concrete
+ Reference = Load Distribution Area
+ Numbers/Groups = 1
+ P = 5.75 kN/m2

Tutorial on PSC Composite Bridge | 24

+ Click on ‘POInt in area’ from the command line. Click inside the periphery of the deck as
shown in Fig. 10.4 below.

+ Press ESC twice to come out of the command. The applied load disappears; however, it is
simply filtered out. With next step we shall dsiplay the entire structure and all the loads.
+ Go to Filter tab and uncheck the ‘Filter Structure by Type and Group’ and ‘Filter Loads by
Type and Loadcase’. This displays the entire model and all the loads.

Note

Load distribution area has been used to auto-calculate the accurate wet concrete load to be applied on the main girders
in Group 10, because the width of the deck on a girder, for wet concrete load, changes along the length of the girder
due to the curvature of the deck slab.
Alternatively, user may apply an average constant UDL on the main girders by approximating the deck width on top of
each girder for the wet concrete load.

Tutorial on PSC Composite Bridge | 25

Loads using SOFiPLUS-X

Step 11 : Define Prestressing System

+ Go to ‘System’ tab and double-click the ‘Prestressing System’ to define a prestressing

system.

+ Generate a new prestressing system number 1, as shown in the Fig. 11.1 below
+ Name = 12T13
+ Number of strands = 12
+ Strand Area = 132 mm2
+ K1 = 0.7.

Figure 11.1: Prestressing System

Tutorial on PSC Composite Bridge | 26

+ Go to Immediate Losses tab. Input the Slip, coefficient of friction and wobble friction factor as
shown in the Fig. 11.2 below.
+ Slip = 6 mm
+ Friction coef. for stressing and releasing = 0.2
+ Wobble coeff = 1.318°/m

Figure 11.2: Immediate loss

Note
The Wobble friction factor in SOFiSTiK is k’ = k/µ °/m. To convert the wobble friction factor, k, given as per IRC Table 5,
into k’, we divide the k value by µ and multiply by (180/π) to convert radians into degrees.
i.e. for galvanized wire cables,
Wobble Coefficient = (0.0046/0.2) * (180/π) = 1.318°/m

+ Go to Duct Geometry tab and input Outer diameter of duct = 75.00 mm as shown in the Fig.
11.3 below. Click ‘OK’.

Figure 11.3: Duct Geometry

Tutorial on PSC Composite Bridge | 27

Loads using SOFiPLUS-X

Step 12 : Create Axis for Tendon Definition

+ Go to ‘Filter’ tab. Check on ‘Filter Structure by Type and Group’. Right-click on workspace and
click on Isolate > End Object Isolation’.

+ From the drop-down menu of Show elements of type, check on ‘Axis’, ‘Tendon’ and ‘Tendon
Geometry’ in addition to ‘Other AutoCAD objects’. as shown in the Fig. 12.1 below.

Figure 12.1: Filter Objects

+ Go to ‘Systems’ tab, right-click on ‘Axes’ and select ‘Create Axis from 3D AutoCAD curves…’.

Figure 12.2: Select Axis lines

+ Input name of the Axis ‘G1’ and Click ‘OK’. Select the AutoCAD lines as shown in Fig. 12.3
above and press enter from keyboard. This defines the axis for middle girder and is used to
provide tendon profile.
Tutorial on PSC Composite Bridge | 28
+ Double-click ‘Placements’ under the G1 axis in the task tree. Input the Rot. Local Z = 2.3 &
-4.5 for P1 and P2, respectively, as shown in the Fig. 12.3 below. Click ‘OK’.

Figure 12.3: Adding and editing Placements

+ Go to Axes > G1 and right-click on ‘Secondary Axes’. Select ‘Create with Offset…’ as shown
in the Fig. 12.4 below .

Figure 12.4: Secondary Axis

+ Input the Y Offset distance = ‘2.9 m’ for Secondary Axis A for Girder 2 and click ‘OK’ as
shown in Fig. 12.5 (a)
+ Input the Y Offset distance = ‘-2.9 m’ for secondary axis B for Girder 3 and click ‘OK’ as
shown in Fig. 12.5 (b)

(a) (b)

Figure 12.5: Secondary Axis

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+ This creates the Axes required for the 3 girders which will be used to generate prestressing
profile. Please note that the rotation of placements has ensured the secondary axis length to
be equal to the length of the inner and outer girders.
+ Like axis G1, we shall generate Axis MV using the central curved CAD reference line. This
Axis will be used as a reference for the live load application on the deck slab in SSD.

Figure 12.6: Axis for Moving Load

Tutorial on PSC Composite Bridge | 30

Loads using SOFiPLUS-X

Step 13 : Define Tendon Geometry

+ Go to ‘Prestressing’ tab and click on ‘Spline Geometry’ as shown in the Fig. 13.1 below.

Figure 13.1: Spline Geometry

+ Click on G1 Axis from the workspace to open the ‘SOFiSTiK: Prestressing Editor’ dialogue
box. Input the data in the ‘Edit Geometry’ and ‘Edit Tendons’ as shown in Fig. 13.2 below.
Notice the stage no. 11 is for stressing and stage no. 12 is for grouting.

Figure 13.2: Tendon Geometry

Tutorial on PSC Composite Bridge | 31
+ Click ‘OK’ to complete the profile and the prestressing load for cable 1. Similarly, we shall
define two more tendons using the data given in the figures below. Make sure to change the
loadcase to ‘4: Prestress’ from the ‘Edit Tendons’ Section. Refer to Fig. 13.3 below.

Note

- To add more
station points,
right-click to insert
more rows.
- U is transverse
coordinate and V
is vertical
coordinate.
- One can copy-
paste the
coordinates from
excel sheet.
Figure 13.3: Other Tendon Geometry
+ To create the tendons for the other two girders, under the Prestressing Task Tree, select all
the three tendons using Shift+mouse clicks and right-click to select ‘Copy to a different axis…’
as shown in Fig. 13.4 below.

Figure 13.4:
Copy Tendon
Geometry

+ Select the G1.A axis made for the second girder

+ Repeat the last two steps to copy tendons to the G1.B axis of the third girder.

Figure 13.5: Copy Tendon Geometry to other Axes

Tutorial on PSC Composite Bridge | 32
Automatic Meshing

Step 14 : Export Model to SSD

+ Click on the below highlighted icon to export the model to SSD. Doing so, the data gets stored
in the central database file, i.e., the *.cdb file.

+ Click on ‘OK’ to continue.

Figure 14.1: Export Model to SSD

Note

In SOFiPLUS-X we are modeling the single elements and while exporting these elements get further divided. With the
help of SOFiSTiK: Export, we can also choose members (objects) of interest to process further. We may also set the
overall maximum division size using set manually option.

Tutorial on PSC Composite Bridge | 33

Actions for Load & Combinations

Step 15 : Define Actions

Note

Actions will be used for combining both construction stage and post-construction stage loads. All Actions could have
been defined in Step 6 of this tutorial using SOFiPLUS. However, to add multiple actions at once, using the text input is
quicker and the same has been used in this tutorial.

+ In SOFiSTiK Structural Desktop ‘Project Navigation’ tree menu, right-click on the ‘Action
Manager’ task and click on ‘Text Editor’ as shown in the Fig. 15.1 below.

Figure 15.1: Text Editor for Action Manager

Figure 15.2: Overwritten

Action Manager

+ Click here to Download the text file for all

the predefined Actions as per IRC 112.
+ Copy the contents of the text file and replace
the text the text in text editor of Action
Manager as shown in Fig 15.2.
+ Right-click on the Action Manager task and click on ‘Calculate: “Action Manager”’. This will
add the actions for load cases and combinations as shown in the Fig. 15.3 below.

Figure 15.3: Action Manager

after calculation

+ Right-click on the ‘Calculation’ in the task bar and close the task. Similarly, close the text
editor of the action manager.

Tutorial on PSC Composite Bridge | 34

Construction Stage Analysis using SSD Task

Step 16 : Definition of Stages

+ Go to SSD. In the Project Navigation tree, right-click on ‘Linear Analysis’ Task and click on
‘Delete’. When prompted for action, click on ‘Yes’. This is because we do not want to use
Linear Analysis task in this tutorial.

Figure 16.1: Delete Linear Analysis Task

+ Double-click on ‘Construction Stages’ Task as shown in the Fig. 16.2 below.

Figure 16.2: Open Construction Stages Task

+ Input the information as shown in the Fig. 16.3 below. To add new stages, click on . Sort
the Stages by ‘Stage Number’ by clicking on the column head.
+ The titles can be edited by double clicking, & types are to be selected from the drop-down list.
+ Notice the stages 10 and 30 are automatically created as per the section property definition.
The program takes this data from SOFiPLUS-X section definition.
Note

Construction stages
include three tabs:
1. Stages: To define
the Stage
numbers, title,
type and duration.
2. Groups: To
activate and
deactivate the
elements and
boundary groups
in desired stage
numbers..
3. Loads: To activate
and deactivate the
load cases in
desired stage
numbers.
Figure 16.3: Stages
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Construction Stage Analysis using SSD Task

Step 17 : Assign Groups & Loads to Stages

+ In the Groups tab, change the ‘First Activation’ of group no. 2 to ‘20 Diaphragm Activation’ as
shown in the Fig. 17.1 below. This will activate the diaphragms in stage 20.
+ Change the ‘First Activation’ of group no. 3 to ’30 Deck Activation’ as shown in the Fig. 18.1
below. This will activate the shell elements for deck in stage 30.
+ Input ‘Concrete age’ as 28, 14, & 14 days for group nos. 1, 2, & 3 respectively as shown in the
Fig. 17.1 below. The age is time from pouring the concrete to removal of formwork.
+ Input QUEA and QEMX = 0.001 for group no. 3 as shown in the Fig. 17.1 below. This will
avoid overlapping of deck stiffness in the longitudinal direction between shell and girder deck.

Figure 17.1: Element and Boundary Group data

+ In the Loads tab, click on to add Load Case no. ‘1: CB’ and change ‘First Activation’ to
’31 CB’. Similarly, add load case no. ‘2: WC’ in ‘32 WC’ as shown in the Fig. 18.2 below.
+ Click on to add Load Case no ‘3: Wet Concrete’ and change First Activation and Active till
to ‘29 Wet Concrete’ as shown in the Fig. 17.2 below.
+ Click on ‘OK’ to run the construction stage analysis.

Figure 17.2: Add Loads to construction stages

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Step 18 : Moving Loads using Text Editor in SSD

+ Click here to download the file ‘Moving load analysis.dat’ using following link.
+ In SSD > Home ribbon menu, click ‘Insert Task’. Select the ‘Text Editor’ and click ‘OK’.

+ Right-click on ‘Text Editor’ task and click on ‘Rename’. Input name as ‘Moving Loads’.

+ Double-click the ‘Moving Loads’ task to open it. Paste all the contents of the ‘Moving load
analysis.dat’ into the ‘Moving Loads’ task. Make sure you have already done step 12 prior to
this one.
+ Right-click the ‘Moving Loads’ Text editor task from the project navigation tree menu and click
‘Calculate: “Moving Loads” as shown in the image below.

+ In this way, we complete the loading of vehicular Live Loads.

Note

The text input can be well understood by pressing ‘F1’ from keyboard. After clicking on one of the command lines, the
corresponding help manual of the module shall open and navigate to that command automatically.

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Step 19 : Non-linear Temperature Loads using Text
Editor in SSD

+ Click here to download the file ‘Nonlinear temperature gradient.dat’ using following link.
+ Insert ‘Text Editor’ task and ‘Rename’ it to ‘Gradient Temperature Loads’.

+ Double-click the ‘Gradient Temperature Loads’ task to open it. Paste all the contents of the
‘Nonlinear temperature gradient.dat’ into the ‘Gradient Temperature Loads’ task.
+ Calculate the task after adding the data.

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Step 20 : Linear Analysis

+ We shall perform linear analysis of constant temperature loads that were applied to girders in
step no. 7.
+ We can perform Linear Analysis using the graphical task as well as a text editor. In this
tutorial, we shall use text editor.
+ Insert ‘Text Editor’ task and ‘Rename’ it to ‘Gradient Temperature Loads’.

+ Double click Linear Analysis text editor to input the following information.

+PROG ASE
HEAD Linear Analysis of constant temperature load cases
CTRL OPT WARN VAL 456
LC NO 5,6
END
+ Right-click Linear Analysis text editor and click on ‘Calculate : “Linear Analysis”’.

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Load Combinations

+ Insert a ‘Text Editor’ task in the Project Navigation tree menu.

+ Right-click on text editor task newly added and click on ‘Rename’. Change the name to ‘Load
Combinations’.

+ Double-click on the ‘Load Combinations’ text editor to open it.

+ Click here to download the MS Excel file for load combinations.
+ Copy the cells from B5 to T395 of the ‘Load Combinations’ sheet and paste it in the load
combinations text editor task.
+ Right-click on the load combinations task and click on ‘Calculate: “Load Combinations”’.

Note

1. Users can manually choose load cases to be considered in load combinations by giving LC input for desired
actions.
2. The load factors used in the load combinations are as per IRC 112. However, users may modify them as desired
from the ‘Reference factors’ sheet in the excel file provided.

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Structure and Load Review in SOFiSTiK Graphics

+ Go to SOFiSTiK Structural Desktop (SSD). In SSD > Home ribbon menu, click on ‘Graphic’ to
open SOFiSTiK Graphics.

+ Here, we can view the structural member numbers, element numbers, node numbers, group
numbers and so on. To activate the view of the desired output, e.g., Structural groups, simply
use the ‘Structural values, loads, results’ Tree menu and click ‘Designation of groups’
under System values > All elements.

+ To increase the size of text, use the slider bar as highlighted in the image below.

+ To change the view point of the model, use the shortcut tools
+ To get to a user defined view point, use the shortcut tool . This will open another window
to freely rotate the model. Click OK to view this angle in Graphics.

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Analysis Results in SOFiSTiK Graphics

+ Go to SOFiSTiK Graphics. From the ‘Structural values, loads, results’ Tree menu > Results >
Beam Elements > Forces, click ‘Bending moment My’. We may select the desired load case
from the drop down.
+ To change the load case easily, go to ‘LC’ tree menu and select the desired load case. Lets
take 4010: Girder Activation as an example below.

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+ Overview of load cases.
+ Cumulative CS displacements and forces start at loadcase number. 4000
+ Independent CS displacements and forces start at loadcase number. 5000
+ 6000 load cases contain the secondary forces due to creep and shrinkage of the cross-section
+ The real secondary stresses including the secondary creep effects are found in the 7000 load cases.

+ To check prestress normal force after creep and shrinkage :- beam normal force LC 7000.
+ Primary part of prestress in construction stages at LC-no. 15000
+ Secondary effect of prestress in construction stages at LC-no. 16000
+ To view the Shell results, go to Results > Quadrilateral Elements and click the bending
moment results in desired directions. Double-click to change the representation of the results
to Iso-Area as highlighted in the image below. Click OK to apply the changes.

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Analysis Results in Table using SOFiSTiK Result Viewer

+ In SOFiSTiK SSD > Home ribbon menu, click postprocessing > ‘Result’ to open SOFiSTiK
Result Viewer 2023.
+ In Result Viewer we can view the tables for all the outputs generated in SOFiSTiK graphics.
Let's see an example to generate table for tendon.
+ Click ‘Create a new Table’. This opens a Selection dialogue box. Select Design > Stress of
the tendon > Tendon Stress and click ‘OK’. We can also directly search the desired results
from the Search Result bar at top.

+ To change the load case selection, click the drop down from ribbon menu as shown in the
image below.

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Tendon Report using Report Browser

+ Click the below highlighted icon and click on ‘SOFiPLUS(-X) Modeling…’ to open the
SOFiSTiK Report Browser. In this report, we can find the tendon length, weight, tendon losses
due to anchorage slip and friction, etc.

Figure : Results of Tendon Generation

Figure : Extract of Tendon Force Diagram

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+ Right-click the Construction stage task and click on Report. Elastic loss and long-term losses
such as creep, shrinkage and relaxation are generated here.

Figure : Results of Tendon Generation

+ The table ‘Normal Stresses 2’ in the report shows tendon stresses in individual stage as
‘Solo_’ and cumulative stage as ‘SUM_’ The total loss due to creep and shrinkage is obtained
from ‘Sum_C’.

Figure : Tendon Stresses to evaluate loss

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Interactive Graphics task to generate Report

+ One can generate customized report using SOFiSTiK Graphics + SOFiSTiK Report Browser.
+ In SSD Insert Task > Interactive Graphics. Double Click it to open SOFiSTiK Graphics.

Firstly, we shall create the graphics in the ‘Layer’ Tree menu.

+ To add more number of results under graphics (pages), right-click on the ‘Graphics 1’ and
click ‘New Graphics INS’. View the desired output using the ‘Structure values, loads, results’
and ‘LC’ tree menu for Graphics 2.

+ To create more images in same page, Go to ‘View’ main menu and click ‘Graphics Setup…’.

+ In the Drawing Setup, under Partition, input desired number of pictures in height or width and
click ‘OK’.

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+ Right-click on the ‘Picture 1’ of the Graphics and click ‘New empty Picture’. Click on ‘Picture 2’
and go to select the desired output from the first two tabs of the tree menu.

+ Save the Graphics file and close.

+ Go to SSD. Click ‘Yes’ to Accept changes. Right-click the Interactive Graphics task and
‘Calculate’ it.

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+ After completion, right-click the Interactive Graphics and click the Report.

+ This will open SOFiSTiK Reports Browser with all the images that were saved in the
Graphics. This can be exported to PDF or word document DOCX.

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Custom Report Generation

+ In SSD, we can generate custom report. Go to Home tab > Report > Configure Custom
Reports as shown in the image below.

+ Click on to add Custom Report. Click on and Edit the name of the ‘new custom report’ to
a desired one like ‘SOFiSTiK Custom Report’.
+ Click on to add rows below in the ‘Details of Report: SOFiSTiK Custom Report’.
+ Select the desired topics to generate report in that sequence. You may refer to the image
above to select the topics.
+ Click on ‘OK’.
+ Go to Home tab > Report and click on ‘SOFiSTiK Custom Report’ (or any other name given to
the new custom report in the steps above).

+ This will open the report browser that includes combined reports of the chosen topics.

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Thank you!