A considerable number of bridges in the United States are either structurally deficient or functionally obsolete.  Consequently, one of the main focuses of the bridge industry is on design techniques that provide a high-quality and cost-effective product in a relatively short amount of time, with less maintenance required and a longer life span.  Standardized bridge plans significantly reduce design time, increase and provide cost-effective solutions in the nation’s effort to repair and upgrade the infrastructure.  Therefore, in this study, standard short-span steel bridge designs were developed to create a design aid (eSPAN140) for bridge engineers.  In these designs, bridges with spans ranging from 40 feet to 140 feet in 5 foot increments were developed for rolled beam sections, homogeneous plate girder sections and hybrid plate girder sections.  The rolled sections were designed using two design approaches: the lightest weight possible and the lightest weight possible with a limited section depth.

Gregory K. Michaelson, Ph.D., P.E. – Assistant Professor, Department of Civil Engineering at Marshall University