APPLICATION OF A SOFTWARE PROGRAMME LANGUAGE CALLED PYTHON IN DETERMINING THE LOADS AND LOAD DISTRIBUTION IN THE DECKS OF A LONG SPAN REINFORCED BRIDGE DECK

IfeOlorun Olofin, Ronggui Liu

Abstract: This research was to create software that can analyze, design and determine the cost of a beam/ deck for a simple supported bridge, the name of the software is Ivy. The method employed for the analysis is a grillage method, using finite element (beam element) and comparing the results with a manual approach (moment distribution and influence line). A 15m span was considered with a width of 7.5m, using a grillage distance of 1.5m, a knife edge load of 120KN and a uniformly distributed load of 30KN/m. The BS5400 and BS 8110 were used for the analysis and design. The result shows that values for the maximum bending moment locating the knife edge at 3m from the support is Mmax = 412KNm (manual approach), Mmax= 506.25KNm (Ivy) to give a percentage difference of 18.6%, at 6m, Mmax= 653KNm (manual approach), and Mmax= 566.25KNm with a percentage difference of -15.3%, at mid span 7.5m, it is Mmax= 789KNm (manual approach), Mmax= 768.75KNm(ivy) indicating a percentage difference of -2.63%. Similarly, the shear force at support locating the knife edge load at 3m is Vmax= 24.81KN (manual approach), and Vmax= 33.75KN (ivy) to give a percentage difference of 26.4%, at 6m, Vmax = 57.58KN (manual approach), and Vmax= 67.50KN (ivy) to give a percentage difference of 14.6% while at mid span 7.5m,Vmax = 38.98KN (manual approach), and Vmax= 67.50KN (ivy) to give a percentage difference of 42.2%. The main reinforcement area of steel locating the knife edge load at 3m is As = 5419mm2 (manual approach), and As = 5271.72mm2 (ivy) with a percentage difference of -2.7%; at 6m, As = 6145mm2 (manual approach), and As = 5910.52mm2 (ivy) with a percentage difference of -3.9%, while at mid span 7.5m, As = 8617mm2 (manual approach), and As = 8088.6mm2 (ivy), giving a percentage difference of -6.5%

Keywords: Simply supported long span bridge/deck, Python, Finite element (beam element)

DOI: https://doi.org/10.15623/ijret.2015.0407033