RC deck - stiffened arch existing bridges: simulated design and structural analysis

Abstract

The 20th century is known as the age that gave birth to the largest reinforced concrete structures. Many applications of this new material were realized at that time, both from a theoretical and practical point of view. With reference to bridges, the engineer Robert Maillart achieved a new concept of arched bridges, characterized by very stiff deck beams and slender and wide vaults, i.e., the "Deck-Stiffened Arch". The paper deals with the study of such bridge typology, particularly widespread in Italy around the 50s of the 20th century. While, nowadays, calculation tools allow developing very refined structural modelling, in the past very simple structural schemes were adopted in the design phase in order to simplify the calculation effort. The study starts from a "simulated design" of such a bridge typology adopting a reliable geometry and following the design rules and the simplified structural schemes of the time and, then, by means of a refined three-dimensional model, the performance of a typical "Maillart-Type Arch" bridge is analysed.