Design of Rigid Frame Bridges

(With Diagram)

After reading this article you will learn about the design of rigid frame
bridges with the help of diagram.

Introduction to Rigid Frame Bridges:

In rigid frame bridges, the deck is rigidly connected to the abutments
and piers. This type of structure may be a single span unit or a multi-
span unit as indicated in Fig. 12.1. All the advantages of a continuous
span bridge are present here.

The following features are the additional advantages of the

rigid frame bridges over the continuous ones:
i) More rigidity of the structure.

ii) Less moments in deck being partly transferred to the supporting

members.

iii) No bearings are required.

iv) Better aesthetic appearance than the continuous span structure.

As in continuous span bridges, these structures also require unyielding

foundation materials. The analysis is, however, more laborious than
the former.
The frames may be hinged or fixed at the base as illustrated in Fig.
12.1. When hinged, the moments carried over to the base rotate only
the vertical supports thereby reducing the moments very considerably
and no moments are carried over to the footings; only the vertical load
and the moment caused by the thrust at the hinge level are to be
considered in designing the footings.

In fixed base structures, on the other hand, the moments from the
superstructure are ultimately carried over to the footings since the
vertical supports cannot rotate independently without rotating the
footings along with them. It is, therefore, evident that in hinged
frames, the moments at the base of supports and at rafts are very
much less but the span moments are greater than those of fixed
frames.

Since the fixed frames are designed on the assumption that the vertical
members do not rotate at the base it is possible to achieve this state of
condition only if the foundation can rest on solid rock or un-yielding
foundation.

Types of Rigid Frame Bridges:

A few types of rigid frame bridges have been illustrated in Fig. 4.5 and
4.6. Solid slab rigid frame bridges up-to 25 m span may be possible
while slab and girder type rigid frames may be used up-to span of 35
m. In road over-bridges, the cantilever type of portal frames as
indicated in Fig. 4.6 is commonly favoured.

Rigid frame box culverts or minor bridges (single or multiple Fig. 4.5)
are usually adopted in areas where the foundation soil is weak and
wider foundation area is desirable for bringing down the foundation
pressure within safe values permissible for the type of soil.

Proportioning Structures of Rigid Frame Bridges:

The ratio of intermediate to end span of rigid frame bridges

should be as follows:
For slab bridges 1.20 to 1.30
For slab and girder bridges 1.35 to 1.40

For rough estimate of the section, the dimensions of the mid span and
support section for solid slab bridges may be taken as L/35 and L/15
respectively. The soffit curves for rigid frame bridges are generally
made the same as those for continuous bridges.

Method of Analysis and Design Considerations of Rigid

Frame Bridges:
In analysing rigid frame structures, the method of moment
distribution is commonly employed. Dealing with continuous bridges,
moment distribution method is best suited for practical design
because the sections of the structures vary at different points for which
other methods are laborious and therefore, unsuitable.

If the values of stiffness factors, carryover factors and fixed end

moments for different joints of a rigid frame structure are known, the
use of the moment distribution method is very simple.

Temperature Effect:
The rise or fall of temperature causes elongation or contraction of
decks which gives rise to fixed end moments on the vertical members
as explained hereinafter (Fig. 12.2).
Elongation or contraction of deck BC due to temperature variation of t
= δ2 = L2αt.
Elongation or contraction of deck AB or CD due to temperature
variation of t = δ1 = L1αt but due to elongation or contraction of deck
BC by δ2, the nett movement of A or C will be (δ1 + + ½ δ2).
The fixed end moment on a vertical member having moment of
inertia, I and deflection, δ, may be given by

FEM = 6 EIδ/(L)2 (12.1)

The fixed end moments so developed on the top and bottom of all
vertical members as per equation 12.1 may be distributed over all the
members.

Effect of Shrinkage, Wind, Seismic and Water Current:

Due to shrinkage of concrete, the deck contracts causing thereby the
same nature of effect as the fall of temperature does. Normally, the
effect due to shrinkage is assumed as equivalent in magnitude to that
produced by the fall of temperature.

The wind blowing at an inclination to the piers may give rise to sway
moments which will be shared by all the members of the frame after
distribution.

The seismic force acting at deck, piers and abutments will cause
moments in the members of the frame as wind force will induce.

The cross current flowing through the river strikes the piers and
abutments and this will induce moments on the members as the wind
will do.

Design Procedure of Rigid Frame Bridges:

1. Select span lengths for end and intermediate spans appropriate to
the site conditions and type of bridges. The depths at mid-span and at
supports are to be assumed.

2. Select the soffit curve and find the depths at various sections.
Calculate the fixed end moments due to uniformly distributed dead
load and haunch load from standard design tables such as “The
Applications of Moment Distribution”, published by The
Concrete Association of India, Bombay.
3. Find the values of stiffness factors and carryover factors from design
tables after evaluating the values of frame constants such as a A, aB, rA,
rB, hc etc.
The distribution factors may be determined as follows:

Where DAB = distribution factor for member AB.

SAB = Stiffness factor for AB.
ΣS = Sum of the stiffness factors of all the members of that joint.

4. The dead load fixed end moments are to be distributed and Sway
correction made if required.

5. To evaluate the live load moments on the members, influence line

diagram for each member has to be drawn. The procedure will be
laborious if the moments are to be obtained by placing unit load on
each section (there may be 5 to 10 sections on each span depending on
the span length) and distributing the fixed end moments due to unit
load with sway correction where necessary.

The method may be simplified if the procedure given below is

followed.

6. Place the unit load at any position (Fig. 12.3) and obtain the fixed
end moments x and y at end B and C. Distribute these fixed end mo-
ments over all the members. The moments so obtained at various
sections are the live load moments (elastic) due to the unit load under
consideration.

After necessary sway correction, the moment equation in terms of x

and y will give the ordinate of the bending moment influence line
diagram at various sections for that unit load. Now, from the tables or
graphs, the values of x and y for unit load at different load positions
may be known from which the ordinates of the influence line diag. at
various sections for different load position may be calculated.

The procedure outlined above will require one set of moment

distribution and one set of sway correction of the moment equations
for each span.

The influence line diagram obtained by the method described will be

only for elastic moment. The free moment diagram will have to be
superimposed over it to get the nett influence line diagram. The live
load moments may thereafter be obtained from the influence line
diagram.

7. Work out the moments on various members and at various sections

due to temperature, shrinkage, wind, water currents, earth pressure
on abutments, seismic force etc.

8. The moments obtained due to various loadings and effects as

enumerated above may be summed up in such a way that the design
moments arc maximum for all possible combination cases.
9. Check the adequacy of the sections in respect of concrete stresses
and provide necessary reinforcement to cater for the design moment.

10. Detail out the reinforcement properly.