ANALYTICAL AND NUMERICAL STUDY OF LIVE LOAD DISTRIBUTION IN REINFORCED CONCRETE BRIDGE
Structural Analysis of Bridges, Live Load Distribuition, Analytical Methods and MEF.
The bridges are essential to road and rail transport systems, especially in Brazil where these are very relevant. In this context, it inserts the structural system of bridges with multiple main spars which occupies a prominent place in the world to be relatively simple and efficient, with economic and constructive advantages notably known. Nevertheless, there are few studies that aim to optimize the distribution of loads of the bridges that take into account the flexural rigidity of the stringers.Thus, this study aimed to analyze a bridge with three, five, seven and eight beams. The models were assessed by analytical methods of distribution of loads, most used, of Engesser-Courbon, Leonhardt, Guyon-Massonet Homberg-Trenks and Fauchart, and compared with models in finite element modeled in software SAP2000 and CSi Bridge V18. The analytical methods have limitations in consideration of torsional stiffness or, in some cases, even such behavior is neglected. The discretized models in finite elements (bar elements and plate on flat and three-dimensional behavior) represented the best behavior of the bridge, as it allowed us to consider the joint operation of the structure.