Design scenario:
Due to the logistic needs for one of the residential areas in the city, the state department of transportation announced a notice to bidders for the construction of a bridge to carry a centered highway across a valley (see figure 1 for the site configuration). In this notice, the state department of transportation highlighted the following:
• The designed bridge should be able to carry its own weight (to include the weight of the reinforced concrete deck), plus the weight of a truck loading equivalent to 350kN.
• The state department will only consider designs with a total cost less than 480,000 $. The design cost should include the cost of material, connection, product, and site.
• The designed bridge should be a standard abutment bridge
• One cable anchorage is allowed.
• A medium-strength concrete should be used for the bridge deck.
The aim of this project is to:
• Analyze and design trusses and frames manually and using engineering software
• Apply the basic concepts of mechanics to find solution of practical problems
• Develop a systematic approach to problem-solving skills
• Construct free-body diagrams
• Basic definitions of stress stain, Stress due to axial loading
• Work in diverse teams