Design Step 1.

3 - Perform Span Arrangement Study

Some clients require a Span Arrangement Study. The Span

Arrangement Study includes selecting the bridge type, determining
the span arrangement, determining substructure locations, computing
span lengths, and checking horizontal clearance for the purpose of
approval.

Although a Span Arrangement Study may not be required by the

client, these determinations must still be made by the engineer before
proceeding to the next design step.

For this design example, the span arrangement is presented in

Figure 1-1. This span arrangement was selected to illustrate various
design criteria and the established geometry constraints identified for
this example.

E F E
CL Bearings CL Bearings
CL Pier
Abutment 1 Abutment 2
120'-0” 120'-0”

240'-0”

Legend:
E = Expansion Bearings
F = Fixed Bearings

Figure 1-1 Span Arrangement

Design Step 1.4 - Obtain Geotechnical Recommendations

The subsurface conditions must be determined to develop

geotechnical recommendations.

Subsurface conditions are commonly determined by taking core

borings at the bridge site. The borings provide a wealth of
information about the subsurface conditions, all of which is recorded
in the boring logs.

It is important to note that the boring log reveals the subsurface

conditions for a finite location and not necessarily for the entire
bridge site. Therefore, several borings are usually taken at each
proposed substructure location. This improves their reliability as a
reflection of subsurface conditions at the bridge site, and it allows
the engineer to compensate for significant variations in the
subsurface profile.

1-10
The unfactored girder reactions for lane load and truck load are
obtained from the superstructure analysis/design software. These
reactions do not include dynamic load allowance and are given on a
per lane basis (i.e., distribution factor = 1.0). Also, the reactions do not
include the ten percent reduction permitted by the Specifications for S3.6.1.3.1
interior pier reactions that result from longitudinally loading the
superstructure with a truck pair in conjunction with lane loading. The
value of these reactions from the first design iteration are as follows:

Rtruck = 124.50K
Rlane = 97.40K

Dynamic load allowance, IM IM = 0.33 STable 3.6.2.1-1

The values of the unfactored concentrated loads which represent

the girder truck load reaction per wheel line in Figure 8-4 are:

R truck
Pwheel = ⋅ ( 1 + IM) ⋅ ( 0.90)
2

Pwheel = 74.51 K

The value of the unfactored uniformly distributed load which

represents the girder lane load reaction in Figure 8-4 is computed
next. This load is transversely distributed over ten feet and is not S3.6.2.1
subject to dynamic load allowance.

Rlane K
Wlane = ⋅ ( 0.90) Wlane = 8.77
10ft ft

The next step is to compute the reactions due to the above loads at
each of the five bearing locations.

8-9
 Calculated By Sajad

Summary

Moment Demand M ∗ = −1 530 000 lb ⋅ ft

Shear Demand V ∗ = 61 400 lb

Deflection δ = −142 000 000 in

Reactions:

No Bearing No Bearing
Ult: 10600 lb Ult: 10600 lb
No Bearing
Ult: 123000 lb

0 50 100 150 200

Distance from Left of Beam (ft)

Shear
60000
40000
20000
)bl( raehS

0
-20000 50 100 150 200
-40000
-60000

Moment
x: 62.3 ft
Moment: 662000 lb*ft
500000
)tf*bl( tnemoM

0
-500000 50 100 150 200

-1000000
-1500000

Deflection
0
-20000000 50 100 150 200
-40000000
)ni( noitcelfeD

-60000000
-80000000
100000000
120000000
140000000

Reactions Axial Load Vertical Load

3200032000
lb lb 3200032000
lb lb

8000 lb 8000 lb

10600 lb 10600 lb
123000 lb

0 50 100 150 200

Distance from Left of Beam (ft)
Key Properties

Length of Beam L= 240 ft

Support Type Position x (ft)

Roller 0

Pinned 120

Roller 240

Simple Loads

76.3 ft 140 ft 168 ft

⬇︎U:32000 lb ⬇︎U:8000 lb ⬇︎U:32000 lb

62.3 ft 90.3 ft 154 ft

⬇︎U:8000 lb ⬇︎U:32000 lb ⬇︎U:32000 lb

0 50 100 150 200

Distance from Left of Beam (ft)
 Imperial Units

Beam Analysis (version 17)

A1

Summary

Moment Demand M ∗ = −1 150 000 lb ⋅ ft

Shear Demand V ∗ = 48 000 lb

Deflection δ = −59.3 in

Reactions:

No Bearing No Bearing
Ult: 28800 lb No Bearing Ult: 28800 lb
Ult: 96000 lb

0 50 100 150 200

Distance from Left of Beam (ft)

Shear

40000
20000
)bl( raehS

0
-20000 50 100 150 200

-40000

1/9
 Moment

500000

)tf*bl( tnemoM
0
50 100 150 200
-500000

-1000000

Deflection 50 100 150 200

0
-10
)ni( noitcelfeD

-20
-30
-40
-50
-60

Reactions Axial Load Vertical Load

28800 lb 28800 lb
96000 lb

0 50 100 150 200

Distance from Left of Beam (ft)

Key Properties

Length of Beam L= 240 ft

Support Type Position x (ft)

Roller 0

Pinned 120

Roller 240

Pinned

2/9