The most suitable variant is a fixed arch road bridge, featuring a steel arch construction consisting of two arches connected to the bridge deck via hangers. The bridge includes two lanes for road traffic, while separated paths for pedestrians on both sides ensure safety from motor vehicles. The model consists of shell elements for support and a rigid connection of the arch to the girder, and the rest of the structure is modeled as 1D members. SCIA Engineer played a pivotal role in realizing this complex model, enabling the interaction of shell-bar elements within a single model.
The model of the bridge involves a comprehensive nonlinear approach incorporating imperfections of the truss based on stability eigenmodes of buckling. The concrete slab of the bridge deck was modeled using shell elements with specified load distribution along the beams. Tendons were represented as members acting solely under axial forces and excluding compression. Frame braces were attached by pinning to the arched structure, and tubular cross-bracing was connected to the arch using joints, with the joint modeled at the intersection. SCIA Engineer's built-in library helped me quickly enter specific traffic loads, which helped me save time. The actual geometry of the bridge was first created in AUTOCAD 2020 and then modified in SCIA Engineer, where very efficient tools are available, allowing for a smooth workflow.
Winner of the SCIA Student Contest 2024.
This project impressed the jury because the complete nonlinear workflow was followed to compare three variants of a steel bridge with a span of 100 meter. The real buckling shape was applied as an imperfection during the 2nd order analysis.
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