DESIGN OF ALUMINUM SIGN STRUCTURES BY ELECTRONIC COMPUTATION

THE DESIGN OF OVERHEAD SIGN STRUCTURES OFFERS AN IDEAL APPLICATION FOR ELECTRONIC COMPUTATION BECAUSE THE EFFICIENCY OF A COMPUTER IS BEST UTILIZED IN THE DESIGN OF SIMILAR STRUCTURES HAVING A GREAT VARIETY OF DESIGN LOADING CONDITIONS. THIS TYPE OF DESIGN WORK DONE BY SLIDE RULE REPRESENTS THE ULTIMATE IN INEFFICIENT USE OF DESIGN TALENT. IN SETTING UP A COMPUTER PROGRAM, VARIOUS SUITABLE GEOMETRIC CONFIGURATIONS ARE CONSIDERED FOR ANY GIVEN COMBINATION OF SPAN LENGTH AND WIND LOADING. THE COMPUTER CALCULATES THE FORCE IN EACH MEMBER AND THEN SELECTS THE LIGHTEST AVAILABLE SECTION PERMITTED BY SPECIFICATIONS. THE TOTAL METAL COST IS CALCULATED, THIS AND A CALCULATED FABRICATION COST MAKE UP THE ESTIMATED TOTAL COST OF THE STRUCTURE. IT IS THEN POSSIBLE TO SELECT A TRUSS FOR ANY SPAN LENGTH AND LOADING CONDITION WHICH HAS THE CORRECT CONFIGURATION FOR THE MOST ECONOMICAL BALANCE OF METAL AND FABRICATION COSTS. /AUTHOR/

• Record URL:
  http://onlinepubs.trb.org/Onlinepubs/hrr/1965/76/76-007.pdf
• Supplemental Notes:
  • Distribution, posting, or copying of this PDF is strictly prohibited without written permission of the Transportation Research Board of the National Academy of Sciences. Unless otherwise indicated, all materials in this PDF are copyrighted by the National Academy of Sciences. Copyright © National Academy of Sciences. All rights reserved.
• Authors:
  • Hofer Jr, Rudoph
  • Knoll, Alan H
• Publication Date: 1965

Media Info

• Media Type: Digital/other
• Pagination: pp 227-230
• Monograph Title: Design - Bridges and Structures
• Serial:
  • Highway Research Record
  • Issue Number: 76
  • Publisher: Highway Research Board

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Aerodynamic force; Aluminum; Bridge members; Computer programming; Computers; Costs; Design; Fabrication; Geometric configurations and shapes; Length; Metals; Overhead traffic signs; Shape; Structures; Wind
• Uncontrolled Terms: Bridge spans; Configuration; Wind load
• Old TRIS Terms: Geometric shapes
• Subject Areas: Bridges and other structures; Design; Finance; Highways; Operations and Traffic Management;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00224760
• Record Type: Publication
• Files: TRIS, TRB
• Created Date: Dec 12 1994 12:00AM