72802 - Bridge Design M

Learning outcomes

Upon completing the required credits, the student acquires the necessary knowledge for bridge structure design, with particular focus on identifying load-resisting mechanisms, actions, calculation methods, sizing and verification criteria for deck structures (both prestressed concrete and steel-concrete composite structures), substructures, accessory devices (such as supports and joints), and seismic issues related to bridges. The course is complemented by practical activities conducted in the LABORATORY OF BRIDGE DESIGN M. The overall objective of both courses is to provide students with sufficient operational skills for a smooth transition into the professional field of bridge engineering and, more broadly, structural engineering, enabling them to independently develop technical design projects.

Course contents

REQUIREMENTS / PRIOR KNOWLEDGE

A prior knowledge and understanding of the concepts of structural mechanics, construction techniques and geotechnics is required to attend with profit this course. In particular, the student should be really conversant with structural design.

This knowledge is usually acquired by passing the exams of Scienza delle Costruzioni (Structural Mechanics), Teoria delle Strutture (Theory of Structures), Tecnica delle Costruzioni (Building Techniques), Calcolo Automatico delle Strutture (Computational Structural Mechanics), Progetto di Strutture (Design of Structures), Geotecnica (Geotechnics).

Fluent spoken and written Italian is a necessary pre-requisite: all lectures and tutorials, and study material will be in Italian. Part of the study material will be given in English.

COURSE CONTENTS

- Criteria of bridges classification; basics of statics (comparison beam vs arch); historical excursus of bridges construction

- Italian rules for bridges design; the actions on bridges; the traffic loads; coactive states and distorsions; brief notes about the geotechnical and the hydraulic issues

- Design criteria for bridge decks: detalied analysis of the R.C. slabs; brief notes about orthtotropic decks

- Criteria of point loads distribution (Courbon-Albenga method, Massonet-Bares method, brief notes about Folded-Plates theory)

- Influence lines theory

- Design criteria for beams, girders, box girders, trusses

- Prestressed concrete beams

- Composite beams

- Fatigue verifications

- Seismic design of bridges

- Statics of arch bridges

The course is accompanied by a design workshop that covers the design aspects and construction details of a bridge deck with prestressed reinforced concrete beams, a deck with continuous beams with a composite steel-concrete section, or a reinforcement intervention on an existing bridge.

Readings/Bibliography

All the textbooks indicated below constitute in-depth readings of what will be explained during the lectures.
The teacher himself will indicate the specific chapters of the specific textbooks where to find the best explanations of each topic.

TEXTBOOKS ABOUT BRIDGE DESIGN
- G. Albenga, "I ponti", Vol. I e II, Ed. UTET, Torino, 1953
- E.C. Hambly, "Bridge Deck Behaviour", Ed. Chapman & Hall, London, II ed., 1991
- E. Siviero, Il progetto del ponte, Ed. Coll. Ingg. Prov. Padova, Padova, 1994
- M.P. Petrangeli, "Progettazione e costruzione di ponti", IV ed., Ed. Masson, Milano, 1997
- F. Martinez, "Ponti e viadotti: concezione, progetto, analisi, gestione", Ed. Pitagora, Bologna, 2000
- M. Cavalieri, A. Cavalieri, "Ponti: Analisi- Progettazione-Dimensionamento", Dario Flaccovio Editore, Palermo, 2006
- A. Barocci, "La sicurezza dei ponti stradali esistenti", Maggioli Editore, 2020

TEXTBOOKS ABOUT ORDINARY AND PRESTRESSED CONCRETE STRUCTURES AND BRIDGES
- F. Leonhardt, "C.a. e c.a.p. Calcolo di progetto e tecniche costruttive. I ponti", Ed. Tecniche Milano, Milano, 1979
- T.Y. Lin, N.H. Burns, "Design of prestressed concrete structures", Wiley, 1982
- C. Cestelli Guidi, "Cemento armato precompresso", Ed. Hoepli, Milano, 1987
- R. Walther, M.Miehlbradt, "Progettare in calcestruzzo armato", Ed. Hoepli, 1990
- L. Santarella, "Il cemento armato", 22a ediz., Ed. Hoepli, 1998
- L. Goffi, P. Marro, "Appunti sul Cemento armato precompresso", CLUT editrice, Torino, 1998
- J. Schlaich et al., "Concrete Box-Girder Bridges", Ed. IABSE, Zurich, 1982
- A.C. Liebenberg, "Concrete Bridges: Design and Construction", Ed. Longman Scientific Technical, Harlow, 1994

TEXTBOOKS ABOUT STEEL STRUCTURES AND BRIDGES
- G. Ballio, F.M. Mazzolani, C. Bernuzzi, R. Landolfo, "Strutture di acciaio: Teoria e progetto", 2a edizione, Hoepli, 2020
- R. Wolchuk, "Design Manual for Orthotropic Steel Plate Deck Bridges", American Institute of Steel Construction (AISC), Chicago, 1963
- A. Pugsley, "The Theory of Suspension Bridge", Ed. Edward Arnold (Publishers) Ltd., London, 1968
- N.J. Gimsing, "Cable Supported Bridges. Concept & Design", Ed. John Wiley & Sons Ltd., Chichester, 1998

TEXTBOOKS ABOUT TIMBER STRUCTURES AND BRIDGES
- M. Piazza, R. Tomasi, R. Modena, "Strutture in legno", Ed. Hoepli, 2005

GENERAL TEXTBOOKS ABOUT STRUCTURAL DESIGN
- O. Belluzzi, "Scienza delle costruzioni", Vol. II, Ed. Zanichelli, Bologna, 1966
- P. Pozzati, "Teoria e tecnica delle strutture", Vol. I (1972) e Vol. II (1977) Ed. UTET, Torino
- Autori vari, "Manuale di Ingegneria Civile", Volume II, Ed. Zanichelli/ ESAC, Bologna, 1991
- M. Mezzina, 2021, "Fondamenti di Tecnica delle Costruzioni", 2a edizione, Citta' Studi Edizioni
- A. Luongo, M. Ferretti, S. Di Nino, 2022, "Stabilità e biforcazione delle strutture - Sistemi statici e dinamici", Società Editrice Esculapio, Bologna

Teaching methods

Frontal lessons mainly at the blackboard (occasional use of Power-Point slides).
Numerical applicative examples at the blackboard.
Technical visits to labs and external companies.

Assessment methods

Achievements will be assessed by a final oral exam. In general, two or three questions:

1. applicative exercises regarding the structural behaviour of arches, structures under moving loads, creep effects, ....

2. analysis and design criteria for several types of bridges

3. design process, actions, materials, conceptual structural design, foundations, ...

Necessary condition to access the oral exam is to have successfully completed the design activity of LABORATORY OF BRIDGE DESIGN M (i.e. the calculation report, the techinical drawings and the study of the construction details of a prestressed concrete beams bridge deck, or a composite beams bridge deck, or a reinforcement intervention on an existing bridge).

The oral test is aimed at checking if the student has understood the subject in its theoretical aspects and if they are able to apply what studied in specific practical contexts.

To obtain a passing grade, students are required to at least demonstrate a sufficient knowledge of the key concepts of the subject. Higher grades will be awarded to students who demostrate a full and organic understanding of the subject, a high ability for critical application, an independent operative capacity to solve complex exercises and problems. A falling grade will be awarded if the student shows knowledge gaps in key concepts of the subject and/or inappropriate use of technical language.

Regarding learning assessments, the use of AI is
prohibited. Any use constitutes a violation of academic integrity.

Teaching tools

Possible lecture-notes and handwritten notes supplied by the teacher.
Power-Point presentations.
Examples of bridge deck design.

Students with Disabilities and/or Learning Disorders: anyone wishing to request adaptations should contact the Office Service for Students with Disabilities and SLD, which is responsible for collecting the documentation and determining which adaptations are acceptable.

Services for Equity, Inclusion and Diversity: University Help-Desk against Gender-Based Violence, Alias Career, LGBTQIA + Anti-Discrimination Desk, Services to support in difficult times.

Office hours

See the website of Stefano Silvestri