Trends in design and construction of steel highway bridges in the United States

Abstract

AbstractAfter a less than exciting close to the twentieth century, US steel bridge design and construction is entering the new century rejuvenated. An effort spearheaded by the American Iron and Steel Institute (AISI) during the 1990s, educated practicing bridge designers in the most up‐to‐date and cost‐effective steel bridge design and construction practices and details. Recent significant trends in the design and construction of steel highway bridges in the United States which are having an impact on the culture of bridge design and construction are the result of research into three aspects of bridge engineering: design methodologies, high‐performance materials and innovative design concepts. Herein, the development and adoption of the new reliability‐based bridge design specifications, the research effort sponsored jointly by the AISI, FHWA and the US Navy introducing high‐performance steel (HPS), and two studies of innovative steel bridge design concepts conceived to take advantage of the higher strength, increased toughness and simpler fabrication of the newly developed high‐performance steels are reviewed.