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 Loading Idealisation for Grillage Analysis of Bridge Decks
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Home | Tutorials | Grillage Analysis | Loading Examples
 Loading Idealisation for Grillage Analysis of Bridge Decks
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Using a prestressed Y4 beam with reinforced concrete deck slab as the deck example as shown in Fig.1; the deck having a 10o skew, a span of 20m and carrying a 7.3m carriageway with two 2m footpaths.

HA UDL can be applied to each longitudinal member as a uniformly distributed load, the intensity of the load is proportional to the width of the lane directly above the longitudinal member, for example:


Alternatively, if the program has the facility of applying patch loads then a patch width equal to the lane width and length equal to the loaded length may be applied. The patch load is usually positioned by the centroid of the patch area in relation to the grid co-ordinates.
 
HA KEL can also be applied as a uniformly distributed load to the transverse members. As loads are initially proportioned to the adjacent members and joints then the worst effects will always be achieved by positioning the KEL directly above a transverse member. If the deck is skewed then the postion of the KEL to give the worst effect will be different to a square deck and two or three positions may need to be checked to find the critical case.

Similar load cases are produced for the HA UDL and KEL in the second lane. Full HA live load will have the HA UDL and KEL in both lanes whilst HB live load has the HB vehicle in one lane and the HA UDL and KEL in the second lane. All these variations in load cases can be developed in the combination cases.
The HB vehicle consists of four axles with four wheels on each axle and is applied to the grillage as a series of point loads. Clause 6.3.2 and 6.3.3 allow the wheel loads to be applied as patch loads however there is little to be gained in a global analysis by applying this refinement and point loads will be a suitable representation for the wheel loads.

The result of the line beam analysis shows that the maximum sagging moment occurs at 8.5m from the end of the deck with the leading axle at 16.3m from the end.

The transverse position of the HB vehicle will depend on which member is being considered, however it is usual to design all internal beams for the critical loading condition for vehicles on the carriageway. The edge beams will require special consideration to support the additional loading from the cantilever.

This would produce the critical loading condition for the bending moment on the internal beam for an orthoganal deck, however other positions need to be considered to take account of the skew effects.
As a check on the data, the total of the reactions should equal the total load of the vehicle = 4 x 450 = 1800kN. Also the line beam analysis gives a total moment of 5692.5kNm; so as there are four longitudinal members supporting the vehicle, then the moment from the grillage should be in the order of (but less than) 5692.5 / 4 ~= 1400kNm in the longitudinal member.
Clause 6.5.1 states that the pedestrian live load shall be taken as 5.0 kN/m2, but reduced to 0.8 x 5.0 = 4.0kN/m2 for members supporting both footway and carriageway loading. Consequently the edge beam should be designed for 5.0kN/m2 and the next-to-edge beam designed for 4.0kN/m2. The UDL's can be applied to these two members in a similar manner to the HA UDL described in Section 1. above, however, as there is no barrier between the carriageway and footway, Clause 6.6 requires that the footway members are designed for Accidental Wheel Load which is generally more onerous than the pedestrian live load.
Accidental Wheel Loading consists of a 200kN axle and a 150kN axle with two wheels on each axle and is applied to the grillage as four point loads. Clause 6.6.2 and 6.6.3 allow the wheel loads to be applied as patch loads however there is little to be gained in a global analysis by applying this refinement and point loads will be a suitable representation for the wheel loads.

The result of the line beam analysis shows that the maximum sagging moment occurs at 10.26m from the end of the deck under the leading axle.
The vehicle will be positioned over the parapet beam as shown to obtain the critical loading condition for bending in this member. This may also be the critical position for the design moment in the main edge beam, however the 100kN wheel should be positioned at joint B to confirm the critical case.

As a check on the data, the total of the reactions should equal the total load of the vehicle = 200 + 150 = 350kN. Also the line beam analysis gives a total moment of 1657.5kNm; so as there are two longitudinal members supporting the vehicle, then the moment from the grillage should be in the order of (but less than) 1657.5 / 2 ~= 800kNm in the longitudinal member.
Loads due to collision with parapets need only be considered in a grillage analysis if high level containment parapets (H4a) are required. Collision loads on other types of parapet need only be considered for local effects (how the load is transferred to the main members).

The 500kN horizontal load will produce a moment of 900kNm at the centre-line of the deck. This moment is distributed along a 3.0m length giving 300kNm/m moment to be applied to the grillage.


The 100kN horizontal load acts in the plane of the parapet and there is an argument that the load will be resisted by the framing effect of the parapet rails with the posts and will therefore be transferred to the deck as a series of horizontal and vertical loads at the base of the posts.


The 3.0m length can be positioned anywhere along the parapet beam and positions are generally chosen to coincide with the critical positions for the accidental wheel load.
 

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Last Updated : 16/06/08
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Email: david@childs-ceng.demon.co.uk