Diseño asistido por ordenador para el anteproyecto de puentes losa de hormigón pretensado

Computer aided design of prestressed concrete slab bridges

In the paper, the most important guidelines and criteria used in the elaboration of a software package for the computer aided design of continuous prestressed concrete slab bridges are presented. They take into account the possible modifications concerning the live-load model, the specifications and regulations stated in codes, and the materials, in order to evaluate in a fast and accurate way the economical influence of these modifications in a particular bridge. The design of the bridge is accurate enough to have a very good approximation of its costs. The software package is a modular one. Each module works in a linked way with other modules or in an independent way. The main modules are the following: 1) Hypotesis module: live loads, materials, etc. 2) Superstructure module: slab Deck. 3) Joints and bearings design module. 4) Piers design module. 5) Abutments design module. 6) Piers and foundations design module. 7) Cost evaluation module: material amounts, unit costs and total budget of the bridge. 8) Cost sensitivity module. The main characteristics of each module are described in the paper.