Methods for Analysis and Design of Preflex Composite Bridges

A realistic numerical analysis for economical design of composite structures requires the consideration of different effects like physical nonlinearity of the materials and the load-history due to different construction stages. If the FEM is used for the analysis and design of such structures, complex nonlinear algorithms need to be employed to accurately assess their behaviour.

This paper presents an alternative method, the Energy Method with Integral Description of the Material Behaviour, which has been developed for the nonlinear analysis of the global behaviour of composite elements. The numerical solution of this approach is based on the Lagrange principle of the minimum of the total potential energy.

The performance of the method is demonstrated with the analysis of a Preflex girder of a road bridge taking into account the construction stages and the long-term behaviour of the materials.