ArcelorMittal has released an updated and debugged version of its Advance Bridge Expert software, a pre-design tool for composite bridges with hot rolled sections. The software was developed by Graitec with support from ArcelorMittal.

Advance Bridge Expert is dedicated to the pre-design of straight, skewed, and/or curved bridges for roads, railways, and pedestrians according to EN Eurocodes. Superstructures can be designed as filler beam, composite, or PreCoBeam construction. For railway bridges, the software allows for the dynamic pre-design of high-speed trains according to EN 1991-2.

We invite you to visit our Software page to download Advance Bridge Expert version 2024.

Click here to explore the Advance Bridge Expert tutorial videos!

Within the 15-day trial version of Advance Bridge Expert, limited to the use of economic rolled sections, you can request a full, free-of-charge licence for this software.

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Software

This master’s thesis by Francesco Profico was developed in ArcelorMittal’s R&D centre in Luxembourg. The focus of this thesis is the study of the plastic behaviour of composite dowel shear connectors. These constitute a relatively new typology of shear connectors in composite beams that offer an alternative to the well-established head-stud shear connectors. Composite dowels are made from interconnected steel obtained from a thermal cutting process and reinforced concrete dowels. To date, this new typology has been used in many bridge applications, and guidelines are present for designers in specific countries. Interest is now growing for building applications in which a plastic design for shear connection is often used.

Mechanical behaviour, assessment of maximum slip demand, and two building flooring solution case studies

The thesis also aims to present the topic of composite beams from a broader point of view, presenting overall mechanical behaviour. A numerical model to assess the maximum slip demand from the beam is presented using a strain limit analysis of the section.

In the annexes, two solutions for building flooring systems using composite dowels are presented. A complete calculation is presented, and parametric optimisation is done for both case studies.

This thesis was developed during an internship period in the ArcelorMittal R&D department and is promoted by the University of Trento, where it was presented at the master’s thesis defence in July 2022. The author, Francesco Profico, has now joined the Steligence® Engineering Team.

The Steligence® Engineering department is a team of steel construction experts dedicated to the support of designers in a wide variety of topics. You can contact them at: steligence.engineering@arcelormittal.com

Text:
Francesco Profico
ArcelorMittal

Images:
Francesco Profico
ArcelorMittal

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Analysis of the plastic slip capacity of steel-concrete composite dowel shear connectors: development of an analytical simplified model - a master's thesis by Francesco Profico

Two new lectures have just been added to SiCA: Steel in Construction Academy for the design of steel and composite bridges with even more lectures coming soon!

Designing steel and composite bridges

Our two new lectures include 'The design of steel and composite bridges', parts 1 and 2.

Part 1 introduces steel and composite bridges, discusses bridge components and structural systems, and describes the common types of steel bridge - plate girder, box girder, and truss girder bridges.

Part 2 covers footbridges, moving bridges, and service bridges and provides initial guidance in the selection of bridge form and span, including viaducts.

Our ever-expanding list of lectures

Our current list of 60+ steel in construction lectures is just the beginning. We will continue to add more and more lectures, covering topics such as sustainable construction with steel, energy efficiency, and the circular economy to list just a few.

What is SiCA?

SiCA: Steel in Construction Academy is our newest Constructalia feature. SiCA is a self-learning online platform for those in, or joining, the construction industry focussed on the use of steel as the material of choice for construction applications and required performances.

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Constructalia

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Constructalia

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