LONG-SPAN STEEL BRIDGES IN EUROPE

INFORMATION WAS GATHERED FROM ON-SITE VISITS TO ENGINEERING ORGANIZATIONS, BOTH PUBLIC AND PRIVATE, AS WELL AS TO BRIDGE SITES IN PORTUGAL, SPAIN, ITALY, SWITZERLAND, WEST GERMANY, NETHERLANDS, FRANCE AND GREAT BRITAIN. THE LONG SPAN STEEL BRIDGES INVESTIGATED, INCLUDED BRIDGES OF BOX-GIRDER DESIGN BOTH WITH AND WITHOUT CABLE STAYS. THESE TYPES OF BRIDGES IN MOST CASES UTILIZED A STEEL ORTHOTROPIC DECK, ALTHOUGH IN A FEW CASES A CONVENTIONAL REINFORCED CONCRETE DECK WAS USED WITH STRINGERS AND BEAMS. A DETAILED ITINERARY OF THE VISITS IS PRESENTED AND THE OBSERVATIONS MADE AND CONCLUSIONS DRAWN ARE SUMMARIZED. ALMOST ALL MODERN STEEL BRIDGES IN WESTERN EUROPE (STEEL IS USED FOR BRIDGE SPANS OF OVER 90 TO 100 METERS) ARE WELDED BOX GIRDERS, AND FOR CLEAR SPANS OF OVER ABOUT 200 METERS, CABLE STAYS ARE USED FOR SUPPORT OF THE BOX GIRDERS. THERE IS GREAT VARIATION IN DESIGN OF CABLE-STAYED BRIDGES WITH RESPECT TO NUMBER OF TOWERS, PATTERN OF CABLES AND TYPE AND LOCATION OF TOWERS. THE METHOD OF ANCHORING THE WIRES IN THE SOCKETS WITH SMALL STEEL BALLS IN A PLASTIC MATRIX COULD BE A CONSIDERABLE IMPROVEMENT OVER THE HOT ZINC METHOD. THE MOISTURE PROTECTION OF CABLES BY PLASTIC COATING USED IN A BRIDGE IN GERMANY IS AN INTERESTING FEATURE WHICH MERITS COST COMPARATIVE STUDY. PROBLEMS WITH AERODYNAMIC STABILITY HAVE NOT BEEN ENCOUNTERED IN CABLE-STAYED EUROPEAN BRIDGES. THIS IS ATTRIBUTED TO USING THE BOX GIRDER. SUCH BRIDGES CAN BE FURTHER STABILIZED BY THE PROPER SHAPE OF THE SIDES OF BOX. DESIGN, FABRICATION AND ERECTION OF BOX-GIRDER BRIDGES, NEED CAREFUL CONSIDERATION. FAILURES OF SUCH BRIDGES ARE LIKELY TO BE BUCKLING FAILURES. THE MERRISON REPORT (BRITISH) ON BOX-GIRDER BRIDGES MIGHT WELL BECOME THE STANDARD DESIGN PRACTICE IN MOST COUNTRIES. WEST GERMAN BRIDGE FABRICATORS HAVE PROPRIETARY RIGHT TO PARTICULAR SHAPES AND STIFFENERS FOR ORTHOTROPIC DECKS. EXPERIENCE IN THE ERECTION OF BOX GIRDERS INDICATE THAT BOLTED WEBS SPEED UP ERECTION. ALL LONG-SPAN STEEL BRIDGES IN EASTERN EUROPE HAVE STEEL ORTHOTROPIC DECKS. NO PROBLEMS ARE ASSOCIATED WITH THE ASPHALT WEARING SURFACE ALTHOUGH IT DOES REQUIRE SPECIAL CARE IN LAYING. THE SAVING IN STEEL MORE THAN OFFSETS ANY ADDITIONAL COST IN THE WEARING SURFACE. THE OBSERVATION IS MADE THAT AN INTERNATIONAL COMMITTEE ON STEEL BOX-GIRDER AND CABLE-STAYED BRIDGES COULD SERVE AS A LINE OF COMMUNICATION BETWEEN THE BRIDGE ENGINEERS IN VARIOUS COUNTRIES AND PROMOTE DEVELOPMENT AND RESEARCH IN LONG SPAN STEEL BRIDGES.

• Corporate Authors:

  International Road Federation

  525 School Street, SW
  Washington, DC  United States  20024
• Authors:
  • Firmage, D A
• Publication Date: 1973

Media Info

• Features: Figures; References;
• Pagination: p. 509-56
• Serial:
  • World Survey of Curr Res & Dev on Rds & Rd Transpt
  • Publisher: International Road Federation

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Asphalt; Box girders; Bridge decks; Cables; Data collection; Design; Foreign; Inspection; Long span; Metal bridges; Orthotropic; Plastic coatings; Plastics; Reinforced concrete bridges; Research; Steel bridges
• Old TRIS Terms: Site inspections
• Subject Areas: Bridges and other structures; Design; Highways; Research;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00210040
• Record Type: Publication
• Files: TRIS
• Created Date: Mar 23 1989 12:00AM