ABSTRACT
The increasing use of soil-steel bridges and culverts in transportation infrastructure contributes to the need to look for the most optimal solutions in terms of durability and cost. The paper presents a numerical analysis of a soil-steel bridge in Waliszow (Poland). The tested bridge is a single-span shell structure with a span of 10.00 m and a height of 4.02 m. The steel shell is supported on two reinforced concrete (RC) footings. Due to the very small soil cover (0.65 m), in the real bridge a RC relieving slab was placed above the shell crown. However, for saving purposes (costs and time), it was decided in the paper to alternatively use expanded polystyrene (EPS) blocks. Undoubtedly, the use of EPS is cheaper and faster than using a RC slab. Nevertheless, it is important whether this will not result in increased values of internal forces in the shell. Three models of the bridge were used in the analysis: (i) without relieving slab (model I), (ii) with a 0.20 m thick RC slab (model II) and (iii) with EPS blocks (model III). Numerical analysis was conducted using the DIANA program based on the finite element method. The paper presents the results of a numerical analysis of the soil-steel bridge under static loads. Besides, the obtained results were compared with experimental research. The received results constitute an preliminary phase for further analysis of the impact of EPS blocks on the behavior of these bridges under static and dynamic loads (mainly seismic and paraseismic). The results may be useful in the work of bridge engineers and scientists dealing with soil-steel bridges and culverts.
