Moving Load Analysis

of Box Girder
Using SAP2000

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SAP2000 Tutorial Example ACECOMS, AIT

Moving Load Analysis

of Box Girder
Using SAP2000

Table of Content
Objective ...................................................................................................................................................... 3

Problem ........................................................................................................................................................ 3

Material .................................................................................................................................................... 3

Plan and Elevation View .......................................................................................................................... 3

Sections .................................................................................................................................................... 3

Step-by-Step Solution................................................................................................................................... 4

Start modeling by template....................................................................................................................... 4

Modify Structure ...................................................................................................................................... 5

Define Material Properties ....................................................................................................................... 8

Define Frame Section Properties.............................................................................................................. 9

Assign Frame Sections ........................................................................................................................... 11

Define Lanes and Vehicles ..................................................................................................................... 13

Define Moving Load Cases .................................................................................................................... 17

Set Analysis Options and Start Analysis ................................................................................................ 18

View Results........................................................................................................................................... 20

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Objective
To demonstrate and practice step-by-step on the modeling, moving load analysis

Problem
Plot influence line for vertical displacement at point A in Lane 1and plot moving
load M33 moment for bridge as shown below for worst case of HS20-44 truck
load and HS20-44L lane load applied to each lane simultaneously.

Material
SteelEc = 5,000 ksi

Poissons Ratio = 0.2

Plan and Elevation View

6'
Lane 2 Centerline
Frame Elements
Centerline
Lane 1 Centerline

6'
50'
20'

100' 100' 100'

Sections
Box Girder

A = 35 ft2
I = 500 ft4
AShear = 12 ft2

Column

A = 40 ft2
I = 400 ft4
AShear = 30 ft2

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Step-by-Step Solution
Start modeling by template

Step 1-1: Start up screen of SAP2000, click on or go to File > New Model.
Select working unit = “Kip, ft, F” and select “Portal Frame”.

Step 1-2: Enter “Portal Frame” parameters as shown in above figure and click OK.

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Step 1-3: Back to main screen, showing structure in “3D view” (left window) and “X-
Z Plane” view (right window). Close “3D view” window to enlarge “X-Z Plane” by
clicking at top-right of “3D View” window.

Modify Structure

Step 2-1 (Display Joint & Frame Labels): Click on or go to View > Set Display
Options, check the “Labels” box in “Joints” and “Frames/Cables” and click “OK”.

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Step 2-2 (Delete Columns at both ends):Select Frame 1 and 4 by clicking on

them one by one and press “Delete” button in keyboard.

Step 2-3 (Assign Restraints): Select Joint 2 and 8. Click on or go to Assign >
Joint > Restraints, click on Hinge support button and click “OK”.

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Step 2-4 (Move Joint 5): Click on Joint 5 and go to Edit > Move. Specify Delta Z =
“20” (ft) and click “OK”.

Step 2-5 (Divide Frame 5, 6 and 7): Select Frame 5, 6 and 7 by drawing selection
rectangular to cover all of them. Go to Edit > Divide Frame, enter Divide into “2”
Frames and click “OK”.

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Define Material Properties

Step 3-1 (Change Working Unit): Select “Kip, in ,F” from drop-down menu at the
bottom-right of screen.

Step 3-2 (Define Concrete Material): Click on or go to Define > Materials.

Select “CONC” and click on “Modify/Show Material”, enter “5000” (ksi) and click
“OK” 2 times.

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Define Frame Section Properties

Step 4-1(Change Working Unit): Select “Kip, ft ,F” from drop-down menu at the
bottom-right of screen.

Step 4-2 (Define Column Section): Click on or go to Define > Frame/Cable

Sections. Select “Add General” from second drop-down menu and click on “Add
New Property”

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Step 4-3 (Define Column Section): Enter section property as shown above figure
and click “OK”.

Step 4-4 (Define Column Section): Enter Section Name = “COLUMN”, select
Material = “CONC” and click “OK”.

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Step 4-5 (Define Girder Section): Repeat Step 4-2 to Step 4-5 to define
”BOXGIRDER” section property.

Step 4-6: Back to “Frame Properties” dialog shows “BOXGIRDER” and “COLUMN”
section have been added in the list and click “OK”.

Assign Frame Sections

Step 5-1 (Select Girders): Draw selection rectangular to cover frame 8 to 13.
Selection Status at the bottom-left of screen shows “7 Points, 6 Lines Selected”.

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Step 5-2 (Assign Girder Sections): Click on or go to Assign > Frame/Cable >
Sections, select “BOXGIRDER” and click “OK”.

Step 5-3 (Select Columns): Change back to undeformed mode by clicking on or

from Display > Show Undeformed Shape. Click on frame 2 and 3 one by one.

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Step 5-4 (Assign Columns): Click on or go to Assign > Frame/Cable >

Sections, select “COLUMN” and click “OK”.

Define Lanes and Vehicles

Step 6-1 (Define Lane 1): Click on or go to Define > Bridge Loads > Lanes
and click “Add New Lane”. Enter Frame = “8”, Eccentricity = “-6” and click on
“Add”. Repeat this step to define eccentricity = “-6” to frame 9 to 13 and click “OK”.

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Step 6-2 (Define Lane 2): Back to “Define Bridge Lanes” dialog and click “Add New
Lane”. Enter Frame = “8”, Eccentricity = “6” and click on “Add”. Repeat this step to
define eccentricity = “6” to frame 9 to 13 and click “OK” 2 times.

Step 6-3 (Select Vehicles): Click on or go to Define > Bridge Loads >
Vehicles, select “Add Standard Vehicle” and click on “Add Vehicle”.

Step 6-4 (Select Vehicles): Select Vehicle Type = “HSn-44”, enter Scale Factor =
“20” and click “OK”.

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Step 6-5 (Select Vehicles): Back to “Define Vehicles” dialog, click on “Add
Vehicle”. Select Vehicle Type = “HSn-44L”, enter Scale Factor = “20” and click
“OK” .

Step 6-6 (Select Vehicles): Back to “Define Vehicles” dialog shows 2 vehicle types
have been added in list. Click on “OK” to finish this step.

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Step 6-7 (Define Vehicle Classes): Click on or go to Define > Bridge Loads >
Vehicle Classes, select “Add new Class”. Select “HSn441”, enter Scale Factor =
“1” and click “Add”. Select “HSn442”, enter Scale Factor = “1” and click “Add”. Click
“OK” 2 times.

Step 6-8 (Define Bridge Response): Click on or go to Define > Bridge Loads
> Bridge Responses, select all response results, select Method of Calculation =
“Exact”. Click “OK”.

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Define Moving Load Cases

Step 7-1: Click on or go to Define > Analysis Cases. Click on “Add New Case”.

Step 7-2: Specify parameters shown in above figure and click “OK”

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Set Analysis Options and Start Analysis

Step 8-1 (Set Analysis Options): Go to Analysis > Set Analysis Options. Select
“XZ Plane” and click “OK”.

Step 8-2: Click on or go to Analysis > Run Analysis. Select “MODAL” case and
click on “Run/Do Not Run Case” (not required in this example). Click on “Run Now”.

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Step 8-3: After analysis is complete, check error messages in analysis window. If
no error report, click on “OK” to finish analysis step.

Step 8-4: Click on to change back to undeformed mode.

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View Results

Step 9-1 (View Influence Line): Go to Display > Show Influence Lines > Joints.
Specify “LANE1”, Joint ID = “10” (middle of bridge), Vector Type = “Displacement”
and Component = “U3”. Click “Tables” to view in tabular form or click on “OK” to
view influence line in diagram.

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Step 9-2 (View Moment 3-3 Diagram): Click on or go to Display > Show
Forces/Stresses > Frames/Cables. Specify parameters as shown in above figure
and click “OK”.

Step 9-3 (View Moment 3-3 Diagram): Click on or go to Display > Show
Forces/Stresses > Frames/Cables. Specify parameters as shown in above figure
and click “OK”.

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Step 9-4 (View Moment 3-3 Diagram): Force diagram in each frame can be
displayed by right-mouse clicking. When move mouse over particular diagram,
distance and force value will be displayed at the bottom of diagram.

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