ABSTRACT
Since the collapse of the Mianus River Bridge in Connecticut in June 1983, defects in pin-hanger connections have been detected in many bridges in the United States. Pin-hanger connections are used in suspended span configurations in girder bridges and truss systems. The objective of this study is to develop a better understanding of the pin-hanger connection. Using the software package ANSYS 5.0A, a finite element model of a typical connection is generated to examine possible failure modes under several loading conditions.
