Book Description
This thesis investigates the behavior of multi-lane steel girder bridues subject to reduced loading using the finite element method The most critical behavior of a highway bridge is thought to result from a fully loaded bridge (live load on all lanes) It is a common practice to apply reduction factors for bridges with more than two lanes These reduction factors are to account for the probability that all lanes be loaded at the same time Therefore, this study will investigate these reduction factors by analyzing three-lane and four-lane steel girder bridges fully loaded, two out of three-lanes, and three out of four-lanes loaded bridges The behavior of these bridges will be investigated by studying the effect of load removal on the lateral wheel load distribution factor The results of this study w ill be used to assess the empirical reduction factors currentK employed by the American .Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) "Standard Specifications for Highway Bridges (19%) ".--This study will consider critical parameters identified in previous research such as simple (one-span), and continuous (two-span), girder spacing, span length, three-lane bridges and four-lane bridges The finite element method is proposed to analyze the steel girder bridges by using the structural analysis program SAP90 The research will focus on evaluating the maximum lateral wheel load distribution to the steel girders subject to the full (all lanes are loaded) and reduced (bridge partially loaded) design live loading Bridges will be loaded using AASHTO design taicks positioned in the longitudinal direction in order to produce either the maximum positive and/or the maximum negative bending moments.