Box-Girder Bridges - Modelling and Analysis

SUMMARY The box-girder bridge has become very popular lately due to its serviceability, stability, and structural efficiency. The study of such a bridge requires analytical, experimental, or numerical methods. The structural behavior of the box-girder bridge is very complex and is quite cumbersome to be investigated by conventional methods. This paper presents a modelling process for the analysis of simply supported reinforced concrete (RC) box-girder bridges (straight, skew, curve, and skew-curved) using the finite element method under Indian loading conditions. This modelling process is developed on the basis of the Codal provisions of Indian Road Congress (IRC) 6:2017 and IRC 21:2000, and its implementation is quite simple as it avoids the cumbersome calculations and requires less time. Different values of the span, span-depth ratio, and the number of cells are considered to suit the requirements, and limiting criteria for stresses and deflection are checked. The static and free vibration analyses are carried out, and the results are compared to control the applicability of the proposed modelling process. The present modelling process is applied to analyse the RC box-girder bridges up to 50 m spans, and no erection procedure is included. However, one may follow the proposed modelling procedure for any box-girder bridge for its analysis.