Photo: 2020 Prize Bridge National Winner, Major Span – Gov Cuomo/Tappen Zee (New York) – Photo Credit:
New York State Thruway Authority
Medium/Long Span Bridge Design - LRFD Simon
Devin Altman, PE – Bridge Steel Specialist (Steel Solutions Center)
Steel Bridge Essentials: Designing Cost Effective & Resilient Bridges
Devin Altman (Steel Solutions Center)
• Bridge Steel Specialist in the Steel Solutions Center (SSC) for the NSBA,
a division of the AISC. He represents the steel bridge industry on
matters of steel bridge design, fabrication and construction. Devin's
role with NSBA is to provide technical assistance, tools, and resources
for steel bridge owners, designers, fabricators, university programs,
and technical committees.
• 17 years of bridge industry experience, spent over 15 years in the
bridge consulting profession as a bridge engineer and project manager,
with 12 years at CH2M Hill/Jacobs working on a wide range of projects
includings design, load ratings, rehabilitation, complex analysis, and
construction of a wide variety of structure types located throughout
the USA and Internationally.
• B.S. in Mathematics from The Evergreen State College
• Master of Engineering degree in Structural Engineering and
Construction Engineering Management from Oregon State University
• Registered Professional Engineer in Oregon
Learning Objectives
• Understand how to develop the required
inputs for LRFD Simon and your bridge
• Learn how to use the LRFD Simon User’s
Guide for further clarification when needed
• Understand how to interpret LRFD Simon
output and increase resistance if needed
• Learn about LRFD Simon in general and
when it is appropriate for design/analysis
and when it is not
• Understand how to use NSBA Continuous
Span Standards as a starting point
Overview of the Design Tools Used Today
Continuous Span Standards
• Example steel girder design drawing detail/spec
• 5 girder bridge cross-sections with balanced design
• Per AASHTO LRFD BDS 7th Edition (update out soon)
LRFD Simon
• Line girder analysis software
• Design mode, analysis mode, web depth optimization
• Per AASHTO LRFD BDS 9th Edition
Where Can I Find These Free Design Tools
[Link]
Continuous Span Standards
• Assist Engineers During the TS&L Phase:
➢ LRFD Simon input files included
➢ Flange plate sizes and lengths
➢ Web plate sizes and lengths
➢ Diaphragm spacing
➢ Stiffener locations
➢ Girder weights
➢ Shear connector spacing
➢ Camber tables
NSBA National
Steel Girder Standards
(Available in Early 2023)
Continuous Span
Standards
Preliminary designs include:
• Center Span: 150 ft – 300 ft
• End Spans: 78% of center span
• Girder Spacing: 7ft – 6in to 12ft – 0in
• Homogeneous and hybrid solutions
• Web depth to suite material efficiency
• AASHTO 7th Edition LRFD
• 88 Unique Solutions
LRFD Simon
Named After Singer/Songwriter Paul Simon (Bridge over Troubled Water)
• Originally Developed in the Late 1960’s by U.S. Steel Corporation in
Cooperation with Wisconsin Department of Transportation
• Late 2021 Release Satisfies AASHTO LRFD BDS 9th Edition
• Design Run Option
• Analysis Mode
• Free Software
• NSBA & AISC Support
LRFD Simon
Analysis and Design Program
• Powerful Line-Girder Analysis
& Design Software
• I-Girder and Box Girders Bridges
• Linear and Parabolic Haunches
• AASHTO LRFD Bridge Design
Specification – 9th Edition
• Straight Bridges with Minimal Skew
(i.e. equal to or less than 20 deg.)
• Help Develop Cost Estimates with
Tabulated Quantities in Report
LRFD Simon
Analysis and Design Program
• Independently Design One Solution for
both Interior and Exterior Girders
• Analyze both Interior and Exterior Girders
• Capable of Modeling Various Bridge
Geometries and Design Loading
Configurations
• Generates Service and Strength
Moments, Shears, Deflections, and
Bearing Reactions
• Helpful User’s Guide Manual Written by
Mike Grubb & Associates
Keep in Mind Before We Get Started
Span Layouts
• Try to layout span arrangements with maximum positive moments being
nearly equal in each span
• End spans ideally 75% - 82% of center span
0.75L To 0.82L 0.75L To 0.82L
L
Balanced Span Arrangement
Keep in Mind Before We Get Started
Girder Spacing & Deck Overhangs
• Total factored moment tends to be larger in exterior girders
(subject to lateral bridge deck overhang truck impact loads)
• Limit size of deck overhangs accordingly
s(typ)
0.28s - 0.35s
Keep in Mind Before We Get Started
Proportioning – Web Depth
• Optional Span-to-Depth Ratio (AASHTO BDS Section [Link].3)
DECK
Simple Spans 0.040L
Continuous spans 0.032L
Suggested Minimum Overall Depth for Composite I-beam
Simple Spans 0.033L
Continuous spans 0.027L
Suggested Minimum Depth for I-beam
Keep in Mind Before We Get Started
Proportioning – Web Thickness
• Web Thickness (AASHTO BDS Section [Link])
𝐷
Without Longitudinal Stiffeners ≤ 150
tw 𝑡𝑤
D
𝐷
With Longitudinal Stiffeners ≤ 300
𝑡𝑤
• ½" minimum thickness preferred by fabricators
Keep in Mind Before We Get Started
Proportioning - Flanges
• Proportioning Requirements (AASHTO BDS Section [Link]):
bf
12
2 tf bf
D tf
bf
6
t
w
D
tf 1.1 tw
I yc
0.1 10
I yt
Fabricators prefer: bf ≥ 12 in.; tf ≥ 0.75 in.
Keep in Mind Before We Get Started
Field-Section Lengths for Steel I-Girders
• Shipment by truck is the most common means
– 215 ft. Possible, 80 ft. Comfortable, 80 – 150’ typical
– Over 100 Tons Possible (20 Tons - No Permit)
– 16 ft. Width and 10 ft. Height (depending on truck and route)
– Girder under 9’ deep can usually be shipped vertical to anywhere
LRFD SIMON
3-Span Continuous Example
What if Your Span Layout is This?
The Continuous Span Standards Come with LRFD Simon Inputs
165’ 200’ 165’
What if Your Cross-Section is This?
The Continuous Span Standards Come with LRFD Simon Inputs
Everything is Different Should I Start Over?
No, But We Still Need to Do the Hard Work and Develop the Design
• Generate Load Demands
• Compare Continuous Span
Standards Loading
Assumptions with Project
• Does Superstructure Depth
Work for Project Constraints
• Overhang:Girder Spacing =
0.25 (Lower than Ideal)
• Verify and Check Everything
(Assume it is All Wrong)
Grab LRFD Simon File Similar to Your Bridge
Our Girder Material is ASTM A709 50W, Homogeneous (Not Hybrid)
Design Girders with Project Design Criteria
I Recommend Using Excel or MathCAD Spreadsheet for Girder Design
General Properties – Exterior Girder
Vet & Update LRFD Simon Inputs for Project Requirements
Bridge Layout
Run Type
Design Parameters
and Boundaries
Deck Properties
Fatigue Parameters
Distribution Factors – Exterior Girder
Vet & Update LRFD Simon Inputs for Project Requirements
User Defined or Program Defined
Calculated based on AASHTO BDS
Define Interior or Exterior
Calculated manually:
LLDFM_SL = 0.858 lanes
LLDFM_ML = 0.938 lanes
LLDFS_SL = 0.858 lanes
LLDFS_ML = 0.938 lanes
Distribution Factors – Exterior Girder
AASHTO LRFD BDS Special Analysis (C4.6.2.2.2d - Commentary)
• Assuming the entire cross-section rotates as a rigid body about the
longitudinal centerline of the bridge, distribution factors for the
exterior girder are also computed for one, two and three lanes loaded
using the following formula
• SIMON Now Computes this LLDF
(Other Design Software May Not, Verify)
Material Properties – Exterior Girder
Vet & Update LRFD Simon Inputs for Project Requirements
Deck & Stiffener
Material Properties
Other Miscellaneous
Material Property Details
Loads – Composite DL (Distribute Equal) & LL
Vet & Update LRFD Simon Inputs for Project Requirements
Composite Dead Loads (DC2 & DW)
Live Load
Design Criteria
User Defined Vehicle (None for Example)
Up to 40 Axles for Strength II Permit/Superloads/Emergency Vehicles
Transverse Stiffener – Exterior Girder
Vet & Update LRFD Simon Inputs for Project Requirements
LRFD Simon Calculates if Left Blank
1 or 2 Sided Transverse Stiffeners?
Shear Studs – Exterior Girder
Vet & Update LRFD Simon Inputs for Project Requirements
LRFD Simon Designs the
Shear Studs for You,
Define the Shear Stud
Geometrics and
Concrete Modulus of
Elasticity Used for Design
Span Information – Span 1
Span and Non-Composite
Uniform Dead Load (DC1)
Bottom Flange
Cross-Frame Spacing
Top Flange Bracing
Construction Lateral
Moment Applied to Top &
Bottom Flanges (Overhang)
Span Information – Span 2
Span 2 Length = 200 ft
Bottom Flange Cross-Frame
Spacing (Negative Moment)
Top Flange Cross-Frame
spacing (Positive Moment)
Span Information – Span 3
Span 3 Symmetrical to Span 1
Cross Section Data – Span 1 – Web
Cross Section Data – Span 1 – Top Flange
Cross Section Data – Span 1 – Bott. Flange
Cross Section Data – Span 1 – Deck Slab
Cross Section Data – Span 1 – Field Splice
Cross Section Data – Span 1 – Deck Pours
Cross Section Data – Span 2 – Web
Cross Section Data – Span 2 – Top Flange
Cross Section Data – Span 2 – Bott. Flange
Cross Section Data – Span 2 – Deck Slab
Cross Section Data – Span 2 – Field Splice
Cross Section Data – Span 2 – Deck Pours
LRFD Simon – Run the Analysis
LRFD Simon – Results File
Results Files in SIMON, .XML, and .OUT (notepad)
LRFD Simon – Results Review
Moments Results
LRFD Simon – Results Review
LRFD Simon – Results Review
Shear Results
LRFD Simon – Results Review
Simon – Web Depth Optimizer (Design Mode)
Web Depth
Optimization
Parameters
Simon – Web Depth Optimizer Results
LRFD Simon – Results Review
All Performance Ratios Should Be Less Than 1.0
• Highest P.R. is 0.956
• Verify Interior Girder
Design is Adequate
• Could Refine Further to
Optimize Sections for
Fabrication and Costs
• If Results P.R. More Than
1.0, Revise & Rerun
• Adjust Web Thickness and
Stiffeners for Shear
• Adjust Flange Thickness &
CF Locations for Flexure
& Fatigue
LRFD Simon Design Results
LRFD Simon Design Results
Thank You! The National Steel Bridge Alliance
Devin Altman, PE (altman@[Link]); 503.349.1106