STEEL STRESS-RIBBON CONCEPT - WILL IT SAVE MONEY?

The stress ribbon structure, a fairly new and unusual concept, can be built with central sags of less than 2% of the span length using currently available materials and technology. Possibilities exist such as offshore conveyor belt structures, suspended pipeline bridges, longspan roofs and highway bridges. Cost savings up to as much as 40% are predicted, provided spacial necessary site conditions are met. Construction is simple and follows the basic plan for suspension bridges. (1) Construct tensioning anchorages at each abutment; (2) string high tensile steel tendons between the abutments and tension them; (3) erect and join steel deck segments, directly supported at the tyndons; and (4) adjust the tension forces in the deck and the tendons to their optimum levels. As opposed to suspension bridges, however, where the cables carry the load, in stress ribbon, by tensioning the cables and the deck between the abutments, the deck shares the axial tension forces. Anchorage forces are unusually large since the structure is tightly tensioned. /Author/

• Availability:
  • Find a library where document is available. Order URL: http://worldcat.org/oclc/10480594
• Corporate Authors:

  American Society of Civil Engineers

  345 East 47th Street
  New York, NY  United States  10017-2398
• Authors:
  • WHEEN, R J
• Publication Date: 1976-5

Media Info

• Pagination: p. 74-75
• Serial:
  • Civil Engineering
  • Volume: 46
  • Issue Number: 5
  • Publisher: American Society of Civil Engineers
  • ISSN: 0885-7024
  • Serial URL: http://www.pubs.asce.org/ceonline/newce/html

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Abutments; Anchorages; Bridge decks; Bridge design; Bridge superstructures; Bridges; Conveyors; Costs; Highway bridges; Location; Long span bridges; Muscular tendons; Pipelines; Steel; Stresses; Structural design; Structures; Suspension bridges; Tension
• Uncontrolled Terms: Bridge spans; Building sites; Sag
• Old TRIS Terms: Ribbon
• Subject Areas: Bridges and other structures; Finance; Highways; Pipelines; Terminals and Facilities;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00139829
• Record Type: Publication
• Files: TRIS
• Created Date: Oct 6 1976 12:00AM