Optimized Prestressed Continuous Composite Girder Bridges with Corrugated Steel Webs

AbstractThis paper proposes different optimization schemes for enhancing the performance of conventional continuous composite girder bridges with corrugated steel webs. In particular, for the positive moment region, the substitution of a ribbed steel plate for the reinforced concrete bottom flange is proposed for optimizing such bridges. Three-dimensional finite-element analysis was used to preliminarily validate this optimization scheme based on the background project, Dongbaohe Xinan Grand Bridge. An experimental study revealed that the optimization scheme can afford advantages, such as reduced self-weight, avoidance of cracking in the bottom flange, and convenient construction. If the steel plate with proper thickness is used, higher flexural stiffness and load capacity can be achieved as additional advantages due to the enhanced steel ratio of the cross section. For the negative moment region of the bridge, the optimization scheme was implemented in two parts identified as Optimization Schemes I and I...