Problem 2.4.

1 Structural Design
Introduction
Structural engineering is the design of structural
elements and their connections that work together
to support loads and maintain stability within a
system.
Structures vary by application and can range in
scale from complex bridge designs to mass-
produced cell phone enclosures. Regardless of the
structure’s scale or purpose, all structures are
designed to meet specific design criteria, including
operational environment, durability, aesthetics,
internal and external load handling, and cost. To
ensure that the optimal structural design is achieved
engineers with diverse backgrounds (e.g., material
science, statics, etc.) work together throughout the
design process. To aid engineers in the
development of complex structural design,
computer-aided design packages are used for
design analysis and verification.

Procedure
Your will design and create a bridge utilizing West Point Bridge Designer software.
West Point Bridge Designer is a simplified and scaled down computer-aided design
tool developed by Colonel Stephen Ressler, Department of Civil and Mechanical
Engineering, U.S. Military Academy, West Point, New York. The software will allow
you to apply engineering design, material science, and statics to the design of a
truss bridge carrying a two-lane highway that spans a riverbed.

Design Constraints
 Minimization of Cost (Design success will be evaluated based upon structural
stability and overall cost—decrease the cost and improve the design.)
 Bridge Configuration
o The bridge may cross the valley at any elevation from high water level to
24 meters above high water level.
o If the elevation of the bridge deck is below 24 meters, excavation of the
riverbanks will be required to achieve the correct highway elevation.
o To provide clearance for overhead power lines, the highest point on the
bridge may not exceed an elevation 32.5 meters above the high water
level (8.5 meters above the top of the riverbanks).
o The bridge substructure may consist of either standard abutments (simple
supports) or arch abutments (arch supports). If necessary, the bridge may

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Principles of Engineering Problem 2.4.1 Structural Design – Page 1
 also use one intermediate pier, located near the center of the valley. If
necessary, the bridge may also use cable anchorages, located 8 meters
behind one or both abutments.
o Each main truss can have no more than 50 joints and no more than 120
members.
o The bridge will have a flat, reinforced concrete deck. Two types of
concrete are available:
 Medium-strength concrete requires a deck thickness of 23
centimeters (0.23 meter).
 High-strength concrete requires a deck thickness of 15 centimeters
(0.15 meter).
 In either case, the deck will be supported by transverse floor beams
spaced at 4-meter intervals. To accommodate these floor beams,
your structural model must have a row of joints spaced 4 meters
apart at the level of the deck. These joints are created automatically
within West Point Bridge Designer.
o The bridge deck will be 10 meters wide, such that it can accommodate two
lanes of traffic.
 Member Properties
o Materials—Each member of the truss will be made of either carbon steel;
high-strength, low-alloy steel; or quenched and tempered steel.
o Cross Sections—The members of the truss can be either solid bars or
hollow tubes. Both types of cross sections are square.
o Member Size—Both cross sections are available in a variety of standard
sizes.
 The bridge must be capable of safely carrying the following loads:
o Weight of the reinforced concrete deck.
o Weight of a 5-cm thick asphalt wearing surface, which might be applied at
some time in the future.
o Weight of the steel floor beams and supplemental bracing members
(assumed to be 12.0 kN applied at each deck-level joint).
o Weight of the main trusses.
o Either of two possible truck loadings:
1. Weight of one standard H25 truck loading per lane, including
appropriate allowance for the dynamic effects of the moving load.
Since the bridge carries two lanes of traffic, each main truss must
safely carry one H25 vehicle, placed anywhere along the length of
the deck.
2. Weight of a single 480 kN Permit Loading, including appropriate
allowance for the dynamic effects of the moving load. Since the
Permit Loading is assumed to be centered laterally, each main
truss must safely carry one-half of the total vehicle weight, placed
anywhere along the length of the deck.
 The bridge will comply with the structural safety provisions of the 1994 LRFD
AASHTO Bridge Design Specification (Load and Resistance Factor Design), to
include:
o Material densities
o Load combinations
o Tensile strength of members

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Principles of Engineering Problem 2.4.1 Structural Design – Page 2
Explore West Point Bridge Designer Software
1. Launch
West Point
Bridge Designer
Application.
2. Select
Create a New
Bridge Design.
Select OK.

3. Read the
design
requirements
overview.
Select Next.

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Principles of Engineering Problem 2.4.1 Structural Design – Page 3
4. Under local
contest code,
select No.
Select Next.

5. Explore and
investigate the
impact of deck
elevation and
support
configurations
related to the
“Site Cost” by
completing the
deck elevation,
arch abutment,
pier, and cable
anchorages cost
impact tables.

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Principles of Engineering Problem 2.4.1 Structural Design – Page 4
 Deck Elevation Cost Impact
Deck Abutments Pier Cable Site Cost
Elevation Anchorages
24 meters Standard No Pier No
20 meters Standard No Pier No
16 meters Standard No Pier No
12 meters Standard No Pier No
8 meters Standard No Pier No
4 meters Standard No Pier No
0 meters Standard No Pier No

Arch Abutment Cost Impact

Deck Arch Pier Cable Site Cost
Elevation Abutments Anchorages
24 meters 24 meters No Pier No
24 meters 20 meters No Pier No
24 meters 16 meters No Pier No
24 meters 12 meters No Pier No
24 meters 8 meters No Pier No
24 meters 4 meters No Pier No

Pier Cost Impact

Deck Abutments Pier Cable Site Cost
Elevation Anchorages
24 meters Standard 24 meters No
24 meters Standard 20 meters No
24 meters Standard 16 meters No
24 meters Standard 12 meters No
24 meters Standard 8 meters No
24 meters Standard 4 meters No
24 meters Standard 0 meters No

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Principles of Engineering Problem 2.4.1 Structural Design – Page 5
 Cable Anchorages Cost Impact
Deck Abutments Pier Cable Site Cost
Elevation Anchorages
24 meters Standard No Pier None
24 meters Standard No Pier One
24 meters Standard No Pier Two

6. Select:
Deck Elevation: 24 meters
Support Configuration:
Standard Abutments
No Pier
No Cable Anchorages
Select Next.

7. Explore and investigate the

impact of deck material and
truck loading configurations
related to the “Site Cost” by
completing the deck material
and truck loading cost impact
tables.

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Principles of Engineering Problem 2.4.1 Structural Design – Page 6
 Deck Material and Truck Loading Cost Impact
Deck Material Loading Site Cost
Medium-Strength Standard 25kN
Medium-Strength 480 kN Permit
Loading
High-Strength Standard 25kN
High-Strength 480 kN Permit
Loading

8. Select:
Deck Material: Medium Strength
Loading: Standard 225kN Truck
Select Next.

9. Under Select a Template,

select none.

Select Next.

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Principles of Engineering Problem 2.4.1 Structural Design – Page 7
10. Type your engineering
team name into the Designed
By field.
Type “Exploring” into the Project
ID field.
Select Finish.

11. Explore the design window.

12. Explore the toolbars.

13. Investigate specific

member properties.
Select the Member Properties
Report icon.

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Principles of Engineering Problem 2.4.1 Structural Design – Page 8
14. The Member Properties
window provides you with
detailed information related to
the currently selected member.
Notice that the material type,
cross section type, and cross
section size relate to the
selected material in the toolbar.
If you change the member
properties within the toolbar, the
Member Properties Report will
also change. Investigate the
different member properties by
completing the member Material
selection comparison, member
Cross Section Type comparison
and member Cross Section
Size comparison.

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Principles of Engineering Problem 2.4.1 Structural Design – Page 9
 Member Material Selection Comparison
Material Cross Cross Yield Modulus Mass Moment Cost per
Section Section Stress of Density of Inertia Meter
Type Size Elasticity
Carbon Solid 160
Steel Bar mm
High- Solid 160
Strength Bar mm
Quenched Solid 160
Bar mm

Member Cross Section Type Comparison

Material Cross Cross Yield Modulus Mass Moment Cost per
Section Section Stress of Density of Inertia Meter
Type Size Elasticity
Carbon Solid 160
Steel Bar mm
Carbon Hollow 160
Steel Tube mm

Member Cross Section Size Comparison

Material Cross Cross Yield Modulus Mass Moment Cost per
Section Section Stress of Density of Inertia Meter
Type Size Elasticity
Carbon Solid 30 mm
Steel Bar
Carbon Solid 160 mm
Steel Bar
Carbon Solid 360 mm
Steel Bar
Carbon Solid 500 mm
Steel Bar

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Principles of Engineering Problem 2.4.1 Structural Design – Page 10
15. Specify carbon steel, solid
bar, 100mm. Select the Joint
design tool and create a
series of joints above the
bridge road deck.

16. Select the Member draw

tool and draw members
between each joint.

17. After your bridge design is

complete, select the load test
icon from the toolbar.

18. A simulated load test will

play for your bridge design.
Notice as the truck (load)
goes over the bridge, member
forces can be seen by the
change of color in each
member.

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Principles of Engineering Problem 2.4.1 Structural Design – Page 11
 19. Examine the forces within
each truss member by
expanding the member list
located on the right side of the
screen. This detailed list will
allow you to optimize your
design. A completely
optimized design will have
member compression and
tension reading < 1. When the
member reaches 1, it will fail.

20. Spend time optimizing your current truss design by altering material properties.
When complete save your design as “Exploring”.

Conclusion Questions
1. How does the type and direction of stress applied affect the selection of the
material type and the cross-sectional area?

2. How can the forces of compression and tension work together to make a
stronger bridge?

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Principles of Engineering Problem 2.4.1 Structural Design – Page 12