Developing Computer Program for Strength Evaluation: Super Structure of Slab, T Girder and Box Bridges

Abstract

Concrete bridges are important structures used to convey trucks and pedestrians along a road corridor. Bridge must be inspected on regular basis to ensure public safety and to protect public investment. The bridge inspection program helps to identify the needs of bridges for repair, maintenance, preservation, reconstruction and replacement. It is necessary to develop strength evaluator software: mostly for constructed slab, t-girder and box-bridges. The developed computer program is expected to assist designers, contractors, students, and assessment makers to evaluate the strength of the superstructure part of a reinforced concrete slab, t-girder and box-girder in order to decide whether the bridge can support regular and non-standard vehicles. This research aims to develop an engineering computer program to evaluate the strength of existing slab, t-girder, and box-girder bridges. Strength evaluation code was collected, the algorithm is written and finally, computer programing is developed for a slab, t-girder, and box-girder by using python programming language and the graphic user interface is done by Qt designer which connects program with users and at last the setup is developed to make it accessible with any computer. The computer program finds their rating factor for the moment and shear, which checks their strength for a slab, t-girder, and box-girder bridges and for regular vehicle loads and non standard loads. The hand calculation and the developed software output gave the same result. Finally, the manual which guides users was prepared.