Issue 2: May-Aug. 2015

Jin Cheng, Jian Ni, Lijun Jia, Rucheng Xiao

Abstract:To overcome the drawbacks of existing design methods for location of arch bracings in arch bridges, a systematic topology optimization based approach for identifying the optimum location of arch bracings is proposed in this paper. The accuracy and efficiency of the proposed method is demonstrated through a numerical example.

International Journal of Bridge Engineering, Vol. 3, No. 2, 2015: pp. 1-8

Tassos P. Avraam

Abstract:This paper deals with the linear dynamic response of a reclining bridge subjected to a load of constant magnitude which moves under the action of its weight, while the bridge goes up. This analysis focuses attention on the effect of the bridge’s angular speed on its behavior under the action of a single load (one-axis load), or of a real vehicle model (two-axis load) while the influence of the damping of the beam is taken into account. The so produced oscillations are compared to those caused by a moving load passing the bridge with the maximum speed which get the load during the bridge’s turning up. A variety of numerical results and diagrams allows us to draw important conclusions for structural design purpose.

International Journal of Bridge Engineering, Vol. 3, No. 2, 2015: pp. 9-24

Dimitrios Zacharopoulos, Thomas Panagiotopoulos

Abstract:Innately fatigue failure is a typical problem between two differ-ent scales because fatigue crack growth increases from microscale to macroscale. Classical continuum mechanics is inadequate to deal with such a problem, since it disqualifies the effect of the scale, making the assumption that the material is continuous and homogeneous, something that is not applicable in microscale due to the discontinuity and inhomogeneity of materials. In this pa-per is made an effort to fill the gap between microscale and macroscale in the process of continuous fatigue of suspension and cable-stayed bridges cables. This problem is solved according to the application of the mesoscopic fracture mechanics theories. To illustrate the proposed approach the Charilaos Trikoupis Bridge (Rion - Antirion Bridge) has been chosen to perform the numerical computations. From the numerical computations results it can be concluded that the size of the initial crack is the primary factor for the life expectancy of steel wires. Consequently the life expectancy of the suspension and cable-stayed bridges cables depends on the size of the initial crack too.

International Journal of Bridge Engineering, Vol. 3, No. 2, 2015: pp. 25-36

M. Saiid Saiidi, Mostafa Tazarv, Brian Nakashoji, Sebastian Varela and Fatemeh Kavianipour

Abstract:Highlights of several investigations on seismic performance of new generation of bridges are presented. Low-damage materials such as shape memory alloy, engineered cementitious composite, fiber reinforced polymer, and elastomeric rubber pad were incorporated in bridge columns to facilitate construction, enhance performance, minimize damage, reduce permanent deformations, and reduce or totally eliminate the post-earthquake repair costs.

International Journal of Bridge Engineering, Vol. 3, No. 2, 2015: pp. 37-48

Tassos P. Avraam, George T. Michaltsos

Abstract:The present study deals with the behavior of curved-in-plane bridges and examines the effect of the radius of curvature, the vehicle speed, the section slope (superelevation), the pavement situation and mainly the achievable accuracy depending on the vehicle model used. In this paper, besides the above parameters, the influence of loading model is studied, especially the models of a concentrated load, a sequence of two concentrated loads and finally a real vehicle where its width is taken into account where the loads are considered as concentrated ones. A 3-DOF model is considered to study the bridge, while the theoretical formulation is based on a continuum approach, which has been widely used in the literature to analyze such bridges.

International Journal of Bridge Engineering, Vol. 3, No. 2, 2015: pp. 49-76