Steel Bridges: Bracing System Design
This online engineering PDH course provides an overview of the design requirements of braces for steel bridges so that engineers can properly size members to provide adequate strength and stiffness.
Bracing systems serve a number of important roles in both straight and horizontally curved bridges. The braces provide stability to the primary girders as well as improving the lateral or torsional stiffness and strength of the bridge system both during construction and in service. Depending on the geometry of the bridge, braces may be designated as either primary or secondary members.
In some situations during construction, the removal of one or more of these bracing members could potentially result in a partial or total collapse of the structure due to instabilities that can develop as a result of the larger unbraced lengths that result from the removal of these members. In cases such as these, the design engineer must recognize the importance of the bracing and design the members accordingly despite their designation as secondary members.
This 9 PDH online course is applicable to structural engineers and other technical personnel who are interested in learning about the design requirements of bracing systems for steel bridges.
This PE continuing education course is intended to provide you with the following specific knowledge and skills:
- Familiarizing with the torsional behavior of open and closed girders
- Gaining a general overview of utilized bracing for I-girders
- Learning about the bracing systems for tub girders
- Understanding design requirements for the members and connections of bracing systems
- Learning about cross-frame forces in horizontally curved girders
- Understanding top and bottom flange lateral systems
- Learning about cross-frame spacing and proportions
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