Recent Developments in the Seismic Design of Bridges With Steel-Plate Girder Superstructures

Abstract

Contrary to the provisions in many seismic design codes, plate girder superstructures of steel bridges should be explicitly designed for lateral load to ensure the adequacy of the load path from the deck above the girders to the bearings below. These structures should either be designed to behave elastically, or allow selected components to yield (e.g., end crossframes). In the latter case, significant reductions in the lateral shears transmitted to the substructures may be achieved, but special detailing of the connection between the crossframe and the deck is necessary to protect the girders from distortion and the girder-deck joint from degradation.