Challenge and Development of Long Span Arch Bridges in Statics, Dynamics and Aerodynamics

Abstract

As one of the most formidable challenges on long-span bridges, recent development of arch bridges have been presented in the aspects of static stability, dynamic characteristics and aerodynamic performance. Concrete, steel and concrete-filled-steel-tube arch bridges have been numerically analyzed to evaluate elastic structural buckling instability and plastic material yielding instability. Concrete arch bridges may result in plastic material yielding instability during construction, especially under strong winds, although completed bridges have quite high safety factor. Most long span bridges show good dynamic characteristics, and have higher structural stiffness and natural frequency than those of cable-stayed bridges with same span length. Steel box rib arch bridges have been found with some aerodynamic problems due to very bluff cross section, especially in vortex-induced vibration, but the increase in span length of arch bridges should not be influenced by aerodynamic performance.