Development of a shallow press-brake formed tub girder for short-span steel bridges

Abstract

This paper is focused on the development of modular shallow trapezoidal boxes fabricated from cold-bent structural steel plate using standard mill plate widths and thicknesses. This concept was developed by a technical working group within the Steel Market Development Institute’s (a business unit of the American Iron and Steel Institute) Short Span Steel Bridge Alliance (SSSBA), led by the current authors. This working group consists of all stakeholders in the steel bridge industry, including mills, fabricators, service centers, industry trade organizations, universities, and bridge owners. The goal was to develop innovative and economical modular solutions for the short-span steel bridge market. The proposed system meets the needs of current industry trends of accelerated bridge construction, while offering an economical solution. This paper will provide an overview of experimental testing currently being conducted and further parametric analysis and design studies focused on the refinement of cross-section dimensions.