Simulation of Thermal Load Distribution in Portal Frame Bridges

Uneven exposure to e.g. solar radiation can cause temperature differences between various structural parts of a bridge, which leads to tensile stresses if the parts cannot move freely. In this study, thermal simulations and stress calculations on a model of a portal frame bridge are performed with the aim of evaluating the temperature difference between the bridge parts. It is shown that the temperature difference between parts which is proposed by Eurocode 1 is overestimated, thus the resulting stress distribution being unrealistic. Using the design method proposed by Eurocode 1 is therefore likely to exaggerate the required reinforcement in crack width limit design, which in turn would lead to unnecessary costs and environmental impacts. Further studies are needed in order to determine proper thermal load values and temperature distributions.