Fully automated global analyses of long-span bridges at a detail design level

Long-span bridges require special analyses when addressing the global forces in the system. For cable-supported bridges, geometric nonlinearities become crucial for the structural behaviour and must be treated with care. The slender structural systems make them prone to dynamic actions from wind and wave loading. In this paper, a framework for an automated system that addresses these specific needs of long-span bridges is presented. The system covers structures such as suspension bridges, cable-stayed bridges, and floating bridges. It employs commercial tools like ABAQUS as a FEM calculator, while handling traffic loads and load combinations directly within the system. Results reporting is automated, and the results can be accessed interactively through a web page interface. The framework also includes links to special design tools and BIM models. The system also includes a state-of-the-art software named DynNO, developed by the author, to handle stochastic dynamic analyses including both wind and wave loading. The system performs fully automated analyses at a detail design level, providing a unique basis for optimization. The proposed framework offers flexibility and agility in demanding detail design processes, as well as the possibility of performing high-level analyses in early phase projects.