Eurocode Accidental loading 1

[TommyP81]

Does anyone have any experience in designing a bridge deck to support a car that has driven off a bridge above? I’m finding very little guidance online on how to calculate the action. The structure is to be constructed in the UK.

 

[GeorgeTheCivilEngineer]

You should aim to prevent the car coming off the bridge above with properly designed vehicle restraint system. Then reconsider the risk with that system in place (dropping to negligible).

If you really wanted to do it then you could probably use vehicle impact data, allowing for a high speed due to acceleration from the fall. And you can allow for things to fail 'locally' so long as there isn't a global or widespread failure.

 

[ThomasH]

I agree that the first option is to prevent the accident from happening.

But if you have to check for the accident, start with the vehicle. It will have a kinetic energy just prior to hitting the bridge deck. That is the energy the bridge deck has to somehow support.
Then you can calculate the force as function of the displacement as you deform the bridge deck. That means a non-linear calculation and it will give you the energy due to the bridge decks deformation. Including the energy that the vehicle itself will absorb is possible but most likely fairly complicated.