Chapter 8 - Extension of the combined finite element analysis and design approach to composite highway bridges with profiled steel sheeting

Abstract

This chapter is planned and intended to provide combined detailed design and finite element modeling examples of highway composite bridges with profiled steel sheeting, which first stresses the approach adopted in this book to combine design with finite element modeling and second makes the book a complete piece of work covering most of steel and steel-concrete composite bridges. The chapter initiates by a brief introduction followed by a review of recent investigations reported in the literature concerning the design and finite element modeling of highway composite bridges with profiled steel sheeting. The chapter provides backgrounds on the experimental investigations on the bridges and its components that are used to verify developed finite element models. Then, the chapter proceeds to show how finite element models have been developed and the necessary steps and analyses of building the model. Following the presentation of experimental investigations and finite element modeling, the chapter summarizes the verification process of the finite element models. The aforementioned sessions will pave the way to present a detailed design example and companion finite element modeling of a highway composite bridge with profiled steel sheeting. The layout and design of a highway composite bridge with profiled steel sheeting will be initially detailed. Then, the chapter presents results of finite element modeling of the bridge and discussions. The author hopes that by detailing design and finite element modeling of composite bridges with profiled steel sheeting to date in this chapter, the book can provide stable combined approach for years to come for most of steel and steel-concrete composite bridges.