Analysis and Design of Skew Bridges
Analysis and Design of Skew Bridges
Analysis and Design of Skew Bridges
Abstract: Bridges are very special type of structures. They are characterized by their simplicity in geometry and loading conditions.
The reinforced concrete bridges usually carried uniformly distributed dead load, vehicular live load to its surface and transfers same to
the support by flexure, shear and torsion. Newly designed bridges are often skew. This is due to space constraints in congested urban
areas. It can be also needed due to geographical constraints such as mountainous terrains. However force flow in skew bridges is much
more complicated than straight bridges. Therefore careful investigation and numerical analysis needs to be performed, in which a skew
bridges can be modeled in several ways. Skewed slab bridges were modeled using finite-element methods using CsiBridge computer
software to study their behavior under uniform and moving loads with to determine the most appropriate force response for design.
1. Introduction [2]
Arindham Dhar, Mithil Mujumdaar, Mandakini
The majority of bridge decks that are constructed now days Chowdhary, Somnath Karmakar presented the comparison
are often some skewed or curved. Tight geometry is often between behavioral aspects of a skew bridge by creating and
placed on highway structures due to right of way restrictions analyzing straight counterparts using a 3D Bridge model in
in congested urban areas. If a road alignment crosses a river Finite Element Analysis software – ABAQUS in their
or any other obstruction at an inclination different from 90°, research work. The results of the bridge model in ABAQUS
a skew crossing may be necessary. Skewed bridges are one show that with the increase in the skew angle, the support
of the most economical and satisfying construction in such shear and mid-span moments of obtuse longitudinal girders
conditions. In addition skew bridges are common at highway increases while these parameters decrease with the
interchange, river crossing and other extreme grade changes corresponding acute angle in longitudinal girders. Most
where skew geometry is necessary due to space limitations. importantly, the increase un torsional moment is observed
In fair meaning, the plan of bridge may appear like with rapid increase in obtuse skew angle in longitudinal
parallelogram in plan view. This condition occurs when girder. Although the changes are insignificant for inclusion
bridge alignment is not exact perpendicular or making some in the design up to 20º skew, but at higher skew angles the
angle to crossing. The term angle of skew or skew angle is increase is considerable (25% increase for 45º skew). These
generally applied to the difference between alignments of an changes must be taken into account for correctly designing
intermediate or end support and a line square to the an obtuse girder. They also pointed out that with the
longitudinal axis of the bridge above. Thus, on straight increasing skew angle, torsional moments rise rapidly in
bridge, the skew angle at all supports would normally be the obtuse angled girders.
same and the term skew angle can be applied to the bridge as [3]
a whole. The simple form of bridge is right deck but demand M. Ameerutheen, Sri. Aravindan in performed their
of skew bridge is increasing due to various factors. research study on the two lanes solid slab and on beam and
slab arrangement (composite) on various skew angles.
2. Literature Review 1tonne/sq m of imposed load is given on each model and
comparison of the results is observed to study the
[1]
Vikash Khatri, Anshuman Khar, P. K. Singh, P. R. Maitiin characteristics of skew deck and also investigational study
their research work conducted grillage analysis method for on the skew effect if the bridge is subjected to IRC loading
analysis of bridges. A total of nine different grid sizes (4 is completed. The analysis is done using the software
divisions to 12 divisions) are made using grillage analogy STAAD-PRO to study the effect of stresses in Solid slab &
and have been studied on skew angles 30°, 45° and 60° to Composite Bridge Deck slab. The effect of Skew angle in
determine the most effective grid size. In their study is Composite Bridge is observed for same modesl using
observed that finite element method (FEM) and Grillage STAAD-PRO. The critical section in skew angle where
method results are not similar for every grid size. They can behavior is dominant is also found out by this analysis
be different for each grid size depending on various which can be effectively used while designing skew bridge.
parameters. It is also observed from the analysis that mostly [4]
seven divisions on gridding is appropriate i.e., ratio of Mehrdad Bisadi in his research carried out finite element
transverse grid lines to longitudinal grid lines is 1.8-2.0. (FE) analysis on an existing railway bridge. For this
Also variation of grid sizes analysis results predicts that, purpose, the railway bridge is customized and analyzed by
variation in reaction value is same in FEM and Grillage using finite element software, LUSAS. Analysis for Eigen
method but variation of bending and torsion moment in value and moving load is carried out to obtain the natural
FEM is lower than grillage results. So, FEM may be frequencies and the displacement of the simulated model
preferred for analysis of skew bridges. under the axial load of train passage. Different values of
damping ratios and Young’s modulus are used in these
Volume 4 Issue 4, April 2015
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Paper ID: SUB153017 399
Licensed Under Creative Commons Attribution CC BY
International Journal of Science and Research (IJSR)
ISSN (Online): 2319-7064
Index Copernicus Value (2013): 6.14 | Impact Factor (2013): 4.438
analyses to observe the effects of these values which are
presented in this study. Meanwhile, different values of
damping ratios and Young’s modulus were used and the
effects of them have shown in such an analytical study. It
has shown that these two parameters, damping ratio and
Young’s modulus, played a key role in the dynamic
behaviour of the bridge.
Example Description
Bridge Type: Slab on Girder Bridge
Longitudinal Girder Section: Rectangular (0.4m x 0.8m)
Transverse Girder Section: Rectangular (0.3m x 0.5m) Figure 4: Skew Bridge with 35° angle
Depth of Deck Slab: 300mm
Wearing Coat Thickness: 80mm
Diameter of Column: 1.2m
Bent Cap Section: 1.2m x 1.5m
Grade of Steel: Fe415
Grade of Concrete: M25
Number of Interior girders: 2
Bearing: Elatomeric Neoprene Bearing
5. Conclusions
2) Bending Moment
The maximum bending moment is observed during Based on analysis of different configurations of bridges, the
increment in skew angle. Also increase in span length will following conclusions can be drawn:
cause effect of bending moment on bridges.
1) For Class A Loading the increase in shear force for low
BENDING MOMENT (kN-m) skew angle (<15°) the shear force increases linearly. The
Skew Span pattern of increase of shear force with respect to span is
Angle 4 6 8 10 12 straight in nature.
15° 535.48 382.73 461.77 709.91 1041.75 2) There is about 20% increase in shear force when span
25° 522.19 387.36 477.33 721.4 1060.27 increases from 4m to 6m. As the skew angle is increase,
30° 514.04 397.25 480.24 734.18 1073.58 shear force is decreased about 30% when span change to
35° 509.5 407.25 495.52 734.98 1093.48 6m from 4m from thereon, hear force for each span
40° 541.56 420.02 514.33 738.28 1119.07 increase.
45° 494.11 365.02 545.39 736.87 1154.12
3) The bending moment increases with increase of skew
angle and spans of bridges. For each span and skew
References
[1] Vikash Khatri, P. R. Maiti, P. K. Singh & Ansuman
Kar, “Analysis Of Skew Bridges Using Computational
Methods” International Journal Of Computational
Engineering Research. May-June 2012, Vol. 2, Issue
No. 3, 628-636
[2] Arindham Dhar, Mithil Mujumdaar, Mandakini
Chowdhary, Somnath Karmakar, “Effect Of Skew
Angle On Longitudinal Girder (Support Shear, Moment,
Torsion) And Deck Slab Of An Irc Skew Bridge.” The
Indian Concrete Journal, December 2013, 47-52
[3] M. Ameerutheen, Sri. Aravindan, “Study of Stresses on
Composite Girder Bridge Over Square and Skew Span”
International Journal of Civil Engineering and
Technology (Ijciet), February 2014, Volume 5, Issue 2,
88-96
[4] Mehrdad Bisadi, “Moving Load Analysis on Skewed
Railway Bridge” Journal of Asian Scientific Research,
2013, 3(2), 198-203
[5] Indian Road Congress, New Delhi IRC 6-2000,
“Standard Specification and Code of Practice for Road
Bridges”, Section II “Loads and Stresses”, Indian Road
Congress, New Delhi.
[6] M. S. Qaqish, “Effect of Skew Angle on Distribution of
Bending Moments in Bridge Slabs”, Journal of Applied
Science 6 (2): 366-372, 2006
[7] Essentials of Bridge Engineering by D. Johnson Victor,
Oxford & IBH Publishing Co. Pvt. Ltd, New Delhi,
Sixth Edition, PP 122-124