Dissertation: Analysis and Design of Prestressed Concrete Bridges to Eurocodes

This paper examines the design of prestressed concrete bridges in accordance with Eurocodes. The design of these bridges is complex and challenging for a number of reasons and the difficulty increases with the Eurocode requirements, which have only been implemented in the last year.This study provides guidance on the principles and procedures for design and explains how they are applied with the Eurocodes. Following a discussion of the basic design principles, two design procedures are developed; the first for the application of traffic loads on a bridge and the second for the design of both single and continuous composite prestressed concrete beams. These procedures outline the basic design process for a prestressed concrete bridge that may be followed by engineers. With clarification of the steps in each procedure and calculations for two bridges, the design is better understood. While this dissertation cannot replace the value of engineering experience, conclusions regarding application of these procedures may help to streamline the process for future investigations.

Analysis and Design of Prestressed Concrete Bridges to Eurocodes