Steel and composite bridges

in Germany
State of the Art
Univ.-Prof. Dr.-Ing. G. Hanswille

Institute for Steel and Composite Structures

University of Wuppertal
Germany

Univ.-Prof. em. Dr.-Ing. Dr. h.c. G. Sedlacek

Institute for Steel and Lightweight Structures

RWTH Aachen
Germany
1

Contents

ƒ Introduction
ƒ Typical composite road bridges with open sections and
box girders
ƒ Composite box girders with wide cantilevering concrete
decks
ƒ Composite bowstring arches
ƒ Composite trusses
ƒ Composite bridges for small and medium spans
ƒ Cable stayed bridges
ƒ Canal bridges

1
 Advantages of composite bridges

ƒ Very slender and aesthetic bridges due to the optimal combination .

of high tensile strength of structural steel and the high compressive
strength of concrete
ƒ High durability of normal reinforced concrete decks due to restrictive
crack width limitation.
ƒ In comparison with steel bridges composite bridges have a better
behaviour with regard to freezing in winter.
ƒ Because the low dead weight of the composite bridges deck is, composite
bridges have advantages with regard to the foundation and
settlements of supports.
ƒ Due to innovative erection methods composite bridges are often used for
bridges over passing existent railways or highways without any
restrictions for the traffic. Where existing freeways with two lanes are
widened the short erection time of composite bridges avoids longer
restrictions for traffic.

Composite Bridges with open and

closed cross-sections

Werra-Bridge Einhausen
4

2
 Typical cross-sections for composite bridges

plate girder bridge with three

rolled or welded main girders
16,75m
2,00 12,75m 2,00
25cm cross-section with two
2,5%
separated box girders
45 cm
35 cm 45cm
2,575 2,575 35cm
5,80 5,80 2,5%

25cm
box girder
3,00
7,15 3,00
55cm 40 cm 1,80 1,80
2,5%

25cm airtight welded box

girders

6,80m
4,30 8,15m 4,30 5

Bridge Schleusetal

view

55 72,5 80,0 80,0 80,0 75,0 72,5 67,0 58,0 40,0

680,0
5,00

cross-section at midspan
2875 1300 5700 mm 1300 2475

460
290
3,25 7000 mm
11,00 11,00

25,25 m
6

3
 Bridge Schleusetal

Bridge Schleusetal

transportation of steel girders

on site

erection of
steel girders by
cranes

casting of the concrete deck by

moveable formwork
8

4
 Examples for formwork systems

formwork tables on
temporary consoles

retractable rollers
console

wedges

formwork scaffold beam

tables

Bridge across the river Ruhr near

Hagen-Freeway A1
cross-section cross-section concrete end
at supports at midspan cross girder
1,96 14,50 1,50 1,50 14,50 1,96 1,25

3% 3%
3,46
3,20
4,76
4,50

3,01 2,50 6,00 2,50 3,52 3,52 2,50 6,00 2,50 3,01
35,06m

2,70 1,30
4,00m
view

73,48m 95,77m 71,83m

10

5
 Bridge across the river Ruhr near
Hagen-Freeway A1

11

Bridge Neuötting -Double composite box girder

cross-section at 30.00
cross-section at
midspan support
2.00 3.00 2.00
11.50 11.50
3.75 0,34
0,52 concrete C35/45 3.75
6.92

0,35

4.01 6.99 4.00

concrete C 50/60

4.39 6.23 4.36

3.30

7.00
7.00

3.30

3.30

3.30
3.30

HHW 366.00 362.00

95.00 154.00 68.00 58.00

470.00
0 1 2 3 4 5
12

6
Double composite bridge Neuötting

box girder with double

composite action at internal
supports

composite bottom flange

13

Box girders with corrugated webs

Bridge
Altwipfergrund

14

7
 Bridge Langerfeld – Freeway A1

view

30,5 40,0 42,0 42,0 42,0 42,0 42,0 36,0

316,5

36,75

2,25 14,50 14,50 2,25

1,75 1,50

cross-section 7,75 7,75

4%
0,00 4% 15% 0,00 6%
40

35

4% 6%

-2,95
1,60

3,35 5,90 5,90 3,35 3,35 5,65 5,65 3,60

18,50 18,25 15

Langerfelder Bridge – Highway A1

16

8
 Langerfelder Bridge – Highway A1
Detailing at internal supports

support stiffener

transverse stiffener for

hydraulic press

elastomer
bearings plate for jacking wedge
supports by shaped
hydraulic press in bearing plate
case of exchanging
bearings 17

Composite box girders with wide cantilevering

concrete decks

Bridge Albrechtsgraben

18

9
 Composite box girders with wide concrete decks

Bridge Reichenbachtal Bridge Elben

Bridge Schwarza Bridge Oehde

19

Bridge Wilde Gera

28,00m
2,00 10,00 1,50 1,50 10,00 2,00

5,50 5,50

longitudinal beams
transverse tension member
35 35
3,15 5,00 1,20 3,80 3,80 1,20 5,00 3,15
1,80

Erfurt Schweinfurt
3,30

DB

14,50
Wilde Gera

30 36 42 42 42 42 42 42 42 42 42 42 36 30
252m 20

10
 Bridge Wilde Gera

21

Bridge Wilde Gera – Highway A71

transverse steel transverse frames

tension members
22

11
 Bridge Wilde Gera – Highway A71

cantilever
erection of the
arch

23

Bridge Wilde Gera – Highway A71

Bridge girder during

launching
24

12
 Bridge Albrechtsgraben - Highway A71

150 140 130 120 110 100 90 80 70 60 50 40 30 20 10

770

45 55 60 70 70 70 45 40 40 45 70 60 50 45

29,00
25,00
2,00 2,00

6,00 1,50 4,15 4,15 1,50 6,00

25

Bridge Albrechtsgraben - Highway A71

26

13
 Different detailing of transverse tension members

27

Joints between the longitudinal girders/box girders

and the transverse tension members

Bridge Bridge Schwarza

Albrechtsgraben

28

14
 Detailing of the transverse tension members
A A
outside longitudinal girder
vertical
stirrupps
Acessment of different solutions for
transverse tension members
geometry of the
concrete slab
a constant depth of the slab
over the total width of the
bridge deck is required, uni-
axial load transfer in
transverse direction
haunched concrete slab,
expensive formwork, bi-axial
load transfer in transverse
and longitudinal direction
slabs with constant depth
and haunches in longitudinal
direction are possible, uni-
axial load transfer in
transverse direction
Dc
Zs,q
section A-A
pulling down joint
internal forces in the
tension member
high stresses due to local
concentrated wheel loads
(Fatigue resistance)
higher stresses due to
local loads. Resistance of
the tension member to
normal forces, bending
moments and vertical
shear should be
considered
no significant stresses in
the steel tension member
due to local loads
Zs
Za
Zs
horizontal loops
tension member
29
connections
economical simple
connections with the top
flanges of the box girder
and the secondary
longitudinal girders
complicate connection
caused by the eccentricity
between the tension
member and the top
flanges of the box girder
30
15
 Sequense of casting of concrete

1‰
Method I : continuous in one direction
Method II: continuous in one direction but
regions at internal supports are casted in a 45 55 70 70 70 70 70 70 70 55 45
second step after the concrete in mid-span 690
regions is effective 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100 110 120

Method III: span-wise in reverse direction cross-section

28,50

70,0 70,0
7,5 7,5 3 x 15,0 17,5 7,5 3 x 15,0 17,5 7,5 3 x 15,0
3,80

Method I
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12

Method II
4 1 2 3 8 5 6 7 12 9 10 11

Method III
4 3 2 1 8 7 6 5 12 11 10 9

31

bending moments acting on the composite section

due to dead weight of concrete
My= -103,2 My= -107,5
- My= -105,3 Method I
- -

My= -43,7 My= -45,4

My= -31,9 My= -31,9
- - Method II
+
+ +
My= 27,2 My= 28,1
My= 25,6

My= -32,5 My= -33,5

- Method III
-
+ + +
[My in MNm]
My= 26,5 My= 27,3 My= 25,4
32

16
Formwork carriage running on the top of the deck

formwork carriage for cantilevers formwork tables on temporary consoles

33

Formwork carriage running on the top of the deck

Bridge Wilde Gera

34

17
 Formwork underneath the concrete deck

formwork carriage for outer cantilevers formwork tables on temporary consoles

Bridge Albrechtsgraben
35

Formwork underneath the concrete deck

(system Kirchner)

Bridge Schwarza
36

18
 Exchange of concrete decks

Normally it is a general requirement in Germany to

have separate bridges for each traffic direction in
order to be able to divert the full traffic on the
remaining bridge in case of major maintenance
work on the other. The concrete deck is the most
vulnerable part of a bridge section. With regard to
the expected intensive increase of road traffic and
local wheel loads in future, the concrete deck must
be regarded as a wearing part in contrast to the
steel structure with implication of different lifetimes
of the concrete deck and the steel structure.
In case of one main composite box girder for both
traffic directions the flow of traffic has to be
maintained in both directions just on one half of the
bridge during a future replacement of the bridge
deck. For this procedure the bridge deck will be
partially cut out with high-pressure water method
and will be replaced by a new bridge deck. During
this procedure significant additional stresses result
in the superstructure, which have to be considered
during design and construction.
37

Different possibilities for the exchange

of the concrete slab

A exchange of one half of the deck The width of the span is the
most important factor for
choosing the different methods.
Method A can only be used for
spans up to 50 m. Methods B or
B exchange over a quarter of the bridge in two steps C are possible for the exchange
of the concrete deck of bridges
with larger spans of up to 100 m.
B1

B2
exchange of one half of the deck with additional
C horizontal bracing
Horizontal bracing

38

19
 Bridge Oehde – Freeway A1

00 10 20 30 40 50 60 70
3,8%

44,70 56,0 72,80 72,80 64,0 56,0 44,70

418,30 m

2310 3800 5600 3800 2310

2,5%
3785

3800 5600 3800

39

Bridge Oehde – Freeway A1

transverse tension
member

40

20
 Bridge Oehde – Freeway A1

P1 P3 P2 P6 P4 P5 P9 P7 P8 P11 P10 P13 P12 P15 P14

concrete deck with

partially prefabricated
concrete elements

launching of the bridge with

partially prefabricated concrete
elements
41

Composite bowstring arches

Saalebridge Besedau
42

21
 Composite bow string arches

Composite bow string

arches with concrete
decks are an often used
system where the
construction depth is
limited e.g. for bridges
over canals and
rivers.The reinforced
concrete deck is
connected with the steel
structure by horizontal
bracings at the end of
the bridge and is acting
as a tension member in
the main system.

43

Normal forces in the concrete tension member

For the normal forces in the concrete member

the effects of tension stiffening of concrete
between cracks should be considered.

The concrete member acts as a

tension member in the main system.
N= Ns+Na

εs,2 Na,2
εs,m

Na= Na,2-ΔNts

Ns= Ns,2 + ΔNt,s Na

N

ΔNt,s Ns,2
Na= Na,2-ΔNts Ns

Ns,cr Ns,crn
44

22
 Bridge Ladbergen near Ladbergen– Highway A1

3958
plan

19850 19850
2000
view

104270
cross-section
1500 1500
end-bracing
800

800
15389

15389
2400

2400

2000
10100 9750 9750 10100
45

Detailing of composite bowstring arches

46

23
 Composite trusses

Bridge St. Kilian

47

Composite truss bridge with double composite

action – Bridge Nantenbach across the river Main

C B C A
12,5 ‰

83,20m 208,00m 83,20m

7 C 8 C A 9 10
B

view

48

24
 Composite truss bridge with double composite
action – Bridge Nantenbach across the river Main

20 20 20 20 20 20
14,30 14,30 14,30

1,40 50
1,40 50

1,40 50
1,00
1,00

1,00
1,20
R=2650,00m
R=2650,00m R=2650,00m

15,26

1,10-1,80
80 80
3,95 6,80 3,95
80 80
6,80
2,00 1,20

80 2,60 2,60 80
1,60 2,60 1,60

49

Composite truss bridge Kragenhofer

58,40 73,60 59,20 58,40

249,60
view
14300
2600 2200 4700 2200 2600
280

400
700

R=
1552,35
9000

cross-section 4350 5600 4350

50

25
 Bridge St. Kilian

28,5 m

5,0 m
51

Bridge St. Kilian

steel trusses with hollow

sections and cast iron nodes

52

26
 Composite bridges for small and medium spans

Bridge Oberhartmannsreuth
53

Composite bridges with rolled sections for

small an medium spans

Advantages
ƒ short construction time
ƒ simple erection method because of no steelwork on site.
ƒ steelwork only in the shop
ƒ small total depth of the composite section
ƒ concrete slab without any pre-stressing 54

27
 Longitudinal reinforcement at internal supports

L+lb bQRT L+lb concentrated shear

lb-anchorage length of
connectors at the end the reinforcement
of the girder

bottom layer of
reinforcement
As,min = ∅16 a=10 cm

ƒ The longitudinal reinforcement at internal supports should be placed over a

length not smaller than L= 0,15 LSt where LSt is larger span length adjacent to
the support considered.
ƒ at the end of the steel girder the number of shear connectors should be
increased due to local introduction of the tensile force in the reinforcement in
the composite section.
ƒ In case of sagging bending moments at internal supports due to temperature
effects, traffic loads and settlements of supports for the tensile forces in the
bottom flange a connection by steel plates or studs in combination with
loops is required.
55

Detailing of transverse supporting beams in

concrete

b>bmin b>90 cm
bmin = 80cm (indirect support )
bmin= 60 cm (direct support)

56

28
 Detailing of partially prefabricated concrete
elements

the depth of the concrete above the

prefabricated elements hc should be
not less than 20 cm within the traffic
lanes. in other regions hc should not be
≥Cnom mortar hc less than 15 cm.
= 4,5cm
4,0
2,5
≥3cm
1,0
21 seal
shear reinforcement
≥2,5 cm

Elastomeric support strips with

a thickness of 2 cm and a width
of 3 cm. The minimum value of
pressing should be 3-5 mm and
the maximum value should not
exceed 10 mm.
57

Casting of concrete

in case of smaller span length the transverse supporting

beams and the concrete slab should be casted in one
operation.

in case of larger span length or for bridges with a big total

length at first the midspan regions and subsequently the
internal supports and the transverse supporting beams
should be casted.
0,15 L

casting of mid-
span regions L

casting of supporting
beams and the slab at
internal support 58

29
 VFT-Bridges with welded or rolled I-sections

in situ concrete slab

precasted
steel girder
concrete flange
steel girder in the shop
transport on site

installation by crane
59

VFT-Filler beams

3200

rolled section

640

shear connection

60

30
 VFT-Filler beams

61

Preflex - Beams

The Preflex-Beam is a girder with a pre-stressed

composite bottom flange where the pre-stressing is
applied by elastic bending of the steel girder.
steel girder
The pre-stress causes a higher bending resistance
and a high flexural stiffness. Therefore the
deflections under serviceability conditions very
small. This type of beam is often used for railway
prestressed and road bridges where the available construction
composite depth is highly restricted. Ratios of span to
bottom flange structural depth up to 45 are possible for road
bridges.

62

31
 Preflex Girders – pre-stressing of the concrete
bottom flange

campered steel girder

δ
Fv Fv pre-stressing forces Fv
applied to the steel
girder (elastic bending)

Fv Fv casting of the concrete

bottom flange

removing of the
Fv Fv prestressing force Fv
after hardening of
concrete causes
compressive stresses
in the concrete bottom
flange

casting of the concrete

top flange on site
63

Composite bridge with Preflex-Girders

Hermann-Lieberum Bridge in Leipzig

continuous beam, span 33 m and

construction depth 130 cm

64

32
 Cable stayed bridges

65

cable stayed bridge Wesel across the river Rhein

10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90
53,24 64,554 64,554 64,554 64,554 64,554 334,82 61,76
396,132 376,412

D C

66

33
 Cable stayed bridge Wesel across the river Rhein

cross-section axes 10 - 70

2800 4250
4250
550 550
700 700

6150 6150
400 550
550

67

Cable stayed bridge Wesel across the river Rhein

cross-section axes 70 - 90
27500 mm
3500 8750 3000 8750 3500

2,5% 2,5%

7710
7710 2000 5900
5900

13800

68

34
Joint between the steel and the concrete section – concrete
end cross girder

joint with overlapping steel

plates and headed studs

concrete end cross girder

69

concrete end cross girder

70

35
 Pylon in high strength concrete

+145,30m
composite section

3000 2000 3000

4000 1000
1000

concrete section
500
4000

400

3295-3971

.+15,90

71

cables

Use of parallel strand

cables of galvanized
waxed and PE-coated
strands instead of
traditionally used fully
locked coil ropes.

72

36
 erection stages

70
10
80 90

stages I and II

stage III

stages III to VIII

stage IX

73

Canal bridges

canal bridge Lippe

74

37
 Canal bridge Magdeburg

view

6,30
57,10 106,20m 57,10

10x5,71 10x5,31 10x5,31 10x5,71

10 20 30 40
7,81

cross-section

3,98 34,04 3,98

42,00 m
75

Canal bridge Magdeburg

total length 228 m

span length 57,1 m – 106,2 m – 57,1 m
Structural steel 9.500 t
76

38
 Canal bridge Magdeburg

transverse frame

1087.5
4819
1900

740 2440 740

77

Launching of the bridge

stage 2

stage 11

stage 17

stage 22

78

39
 Canal-bridge Lippe

24,00m 24,80m 24,00m

A B C D
4,75 28,00m 3,00 4,75 28,00m 3,00

+56,50 NW +56,50 NW
7,84

2,21 4,33 4,33 4,33 4,33 4,33 4,33 2,21

30,40m
2,21 2,16 10,82 10,82 2,16 2,21 LT7 LT6 LT5 LT4 LT3 LT2 LT1

LT7 LT6 LT5 LT4 LT3 LT2 LT1

79

Canal-bridge Lippe

80

40
 7th Japanese – German
Bridge Colloquium Osaka 2007

Thank you very much for your attention

81

41