About Arch Structure

[7202cdz]

I will design a steel arch structural member. The arch will be about 80ft span with 20ft high in the span center (less than a semicircle). It is a two hinges arch. The arch member section will be four (4) faces (about 36" high x24" width), leg and bracing members will be structural Tube.

This is my first time design arch type structure. I wish some experience professionals can provide me some general opinions on arch design and some reference books.

Thanks

 

[ishvaaag]

You have a nice section on steel arches in

Structural steel designner's handbook
Brockenbrough and Merrit
McGraw Hill

That was in 2nd edition, I think there are more recent ones.

Chapter 13 is by Hodgren, Jr., on arch bridges.

For the span the depth looks generous enough, and depending upon the configuration, some would see it better tumbled, providing bigger stability out of the plane of the arch, since hangers etc may be stiffening the arch to directrix.

I attach a mathcad 2000 worksheet I did around 2000 to predimension steel square tube parabolic arches supporting uniform projected loads. Note in the example as given 2 paired arches (2 arch ribs) support the load, the worksheet can be set to 1 arch only as well, and easily be customized for other shapes, in fact I have also it in pipe section guise.

 

[bridgebuster]

FHWA also has a book on steel and concrete arches; it's from the early 80's

You can download it at:

http://www.lib.utexas.edu/dlp/deliveries/susan_ardis/eng-batch00004-2008-02-06/txu-oclc-25398289.pdf

 

[7202cdz]

thanks all.