Designing a segmental bridge

[graving]

Hi, I am interested in seeing the process of how to design a segmental bridge using Eurocode. I have been researching a lot about high-speed trains and have noticed segmental bridges are quite a popular design for them. I was wondering if there are any step-by-step guides out there or examples which I could follow. I appreciate the help

 

[BridgeSmith]

Segmental bridge design for trains is a specialty within a specialty. I suspect the engineering teams that design those bridges keep their designs between themselves and the experts that review them. That type of bridge is certainly not project for a novice bridge designer. It takes a significant amount of background in precast post-tensioned concrete design and railroad bridge design.

 

[graving]

I see; well, that is rather disappointing to hear. Do you have any advice for a style of bridge that would support a high-speed train and is more straightforward to design?

 

[BridgeSmith]

Steel plate girder bridges or prestressed concrete girder bridges are probably the least complicated options, but even those have a steep learning curve, and some peculiarities unique to rail bridges (deflection limits, etc.). Not sure how it's done in Europe, but here in the USA, nearly all rail bridges are designed in-house by the engineers employed by the railroads.

If you're not familiar with bridge design, and rail bridge design, in particular, unless you plan on continuing to design rail bridges for many years, it's going to be more cost-effective to hire a consultant with the experience designing them. Even if you spent the huge amount of time to learn how to do it, you'd most likely end up designing a bridge that would be more expensive to build than one designed by a firm with years of experience designing them (or you'd need to develop a close relationship with a fabricator or precaster, so you can ask lots of questions about what's cost-effective for construction).