Railway truss bridges

Layout

I – RAILWAY BRIDGES
General Remarks for all kinds of bridges:
1- The deck bridge is the best type because the compression chord of the
truss is braced by cross girders (X.G). [Lb out of upper compression chord
will be distance between cross girders].

2- There must be horizontal wind bracing at the level of the lower flange
of X.G.

0.3-0.4m
Stringer Br.
3.5m sec 1
Min 5.5m
B/9 sec 2
-
B/7 H
S/10

1.8m 1.7m 1.8m H

S/10
B/7- B/9

sec 3
1.8m 1.7m 1.8m 1.7m 1.8m 1.8m
12.3-12.5 m 7.2-7.5m 5.3 m

3- There must be stringer bracing to carry lateral shock

 There must be braking force bracing to carry braking force.
 In Roadway there was no lateral shock & the braking force was
carried by slab to main girders to supports. But in case of Railway
Bridge, if there is no braking force bracing, there will be M y on X-
girders.

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Layout
Braking force bracing
Wind bracing Stringer bracing
S=4.0 -7.0m
M.G.
stringer

X.G.
X.G.
M.G.
Plan of bracing Plan of floor beams

4- What is the difference between pony & through bridge?

1 - The X.G. in both lies at the level of the lower chord.
2 – Also both of them have lower wind bracing.
3 – Only the through bridge has
0.3-0.4m
upper bracing
We use through bridge only if h  Min 5.5m
H

S/10
5.5 m, h is measured from the top of
B/9
the rail level h = H MG – h – 0.20 -
XG B/7
1.8m 1.7m 1.8m 1.7m 1.8m
m (sleeper) – 0.15 m (rail) – 0.3
12.3-12.5 m
(height of upper member)
 The through bridge is preferable than pony bridge because the
compression chord is supported by bracing.
 In case of using through bridge, a closed frame or inclined
frames at both ends of the bridge must be provided to transfer
load from upper lever of upper bracing to bearings.

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 Railway truss bridges
Layout

4-7m
L=70-80m
Elevation of M.G. Box portal frame
Box portal frame

4-7m L=70-80m
Elevation of M.G. roller bearing

Box portal frame (2) Inclined portal frame

4-7m L=70-80m
Elevation of M.G.

Intermediate closed frame may be added if span is too big.

5- To draw plans, we have to take many sections:

a- The pony bridge has 2 plans, one shows the stringers and the stringer
bracing, while the other shows the wind bracing with braking force
bracing.
b- Deck and through bridges have 3 plans. Two of them are the same as
that of Pony Bridge, while the third is either lower bracing for Deck
Bridge or upper bracing for through bridge.
We can draw the first 2 plans in one plan only as shown below:

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 Railway truss bridges
Layout
S=4.0 -7.0m
M.G.
stringer

X.G.
X.G.
M.G.
Plan of bracing Plan of floor beams
6- The width of the bridge "B" is nearly constant because the width of
train is constant and is determined as follows:
- 3.5 m in deck bridges & 5.3 in pony & through bridges.
- For each additional track in any kind of bridges add 3.5 m
i.e. Deck bridge:
Single track = 3.5 m
Double track = 3.5 + 3.5 = 7 m
Triple track = 3.5 + 2 *3.5 = 10.5 m
Pony or through bridge:
Single track = 5.3 m
Double track = 5.3 + 3.5 = 8.8 - 9 m
Triple track = 5.3 + 2 *3.5 = 12.5 m
Note:
 For long span bridges, L > 40 m, we use the main system as a
L Upper chord
truss with height "H" = .
8  10
 The shape of the M.G. is as follows the upper
chord is in the shape of "  "- section while the Vertical
Haunch
lower chord is in the shape of "Double T"

Lower chord

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 Railway truss bridges
Layout
 It's preferable that number of panels is even
‫ ﯾﻜﻮن زوﺟﻲ ﻟﺘﻤﺎﺛﻞ اﻟﺸﻜﻞ‬XG ‫ﻋﺪد اﻟﻤﺴﺎﻓﺎت ﺑﯿﻦ ال‬

L
7- The spacing between X.G "S" is taken   H mg so the angle of
10
diagonal of main truss will be equal 450.
The number of panels will be 8 or 10 or maximum 12 (‫)زوﺟﻰ‬.
8- There is no concrete slab so we cannot make composite action.
9- There must be a stringer nearly under
each rail. Stringer Br.
3.5m sec 1
10- The spacing between stringers is 1.8 m B/9 sec 2
-
B/7
(constant) [the distance is not 1.5 m as 1.8m 1.7m 1.8m H

distance between rails for construction sec 3

requirement.[‫]ﻟﺴﮭﻮﻟﺔ اﻟﺘﺮﻛﯿﺐ‬ 7.2-7.5m

11- Distance between center lines of any 2 successive tracks is 3.5m.
12- There is no side walk (unless mentioned).
13- The braking force bracing is added at both ends & if span > 6 0 m we
add another bracing at mid span.

S=4.0-7.0m
M.G.

B
X.G.

M.G.
Plan of wind and braking force bracing

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 Railway truss bridges
Layout
14- Drawing of lateral shock bracing (stringer bracing), the bracing is a
horizontal truss to carry horizontal loads. It consists of stringer as upper
& lower chord, verticals and diagonals are added.

S=4.0-7.0m Dl. of stringer Vl. of stringer

Bracing Bracing
M.G.
stringer
B

X.G.
X.G.

stringer
M.G.
Plan of floor beams(sec 1)

15- The distance between verticals of stringer bracing is 1.5 – 2.0 m (so
the diagonal is inclined at nearly 45 o)

Dl. of stringer Vl. of stringer

Bracing Bracing
X.G.

M.G.

Important: So the shape of stringer bracing is as shown (according to

spacing between X-G "S".
S=3-4m S=4.5-6.0m
S=6.0-8.0m
X.G.

X.G.

X.G.

M.G. M.G. M.G.

S=3-4m S=4.5-6.0m S=6.0-8.0m
2 spacings 3 spacings 4 spacings

16- The level of braking force bracing is at the level of the lower
flange of X-G. The braking force is transmitted from level of Rail (upper

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 Railway truss bridges
Layout
flange of XG) to level of braking force bracing (lower flange of XG) by
one of the following 2 methods : -
Either Full depth stringer or bracket ( as discussed in plate girder)

: ‫ﻣﻠﺤﻮﻇﺔ ھﺎﻣﺔ‬
braking force bracing ‫ﺗﻮﺿﯿﺢ ﻛﯿﻔﯿﺔ ﻧﻘﻞ ﺣﻤﻞ اﻟﻔﺮاﻣﻞ ﻋﻠﻲ‬

17- In Deck Bridge, the X.F is added each (15 – 18 m)

18- The X.F. is either X-system or V-system according to the angle (35o-
55o).

Stringer Br.
S/10

3.5m sec 1
B/9 B/9 sec 2
- H -
B/7 1.8m B/7 1.8m 1.7m 1.8m H
sec 3
3.5 m
7.2-7.5m

19- The upper bracing in through bridge and lower bracing in Deck
Bridge can be in the shape of either x-system or rhombic system.

S=4.0-7.0m S=4.0-7.0m

20- In case of using semi-deck bridge, the cross-girder will be nearly at

midpoints of the vertical members which give concentrated loads at these
points. This means that half the member will be tension and the other will
be compression. It is preferable to use K-truss.

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 Railway truss bridges
Layout
upper bracing X-bracing
X.G.

4-7m lower bracing

L=40-70m
roller bearing
elevation of M.G.

upper bracing X-bracing

X.G.

4-7m lower bracing

L=40-70m
roller bearing
elevation of M.G.

21- There must be end bracket because there is no cantilever slab.

22- In case of single track deck bridges, the

2.60 ms
bridge may compose of 2 main girders and
1.50 ms
cross girder without stringers. (The main
girders are used at the position of stringers.)
H

1.7-1.8m

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Layout
23- The main dimensions of the train envelope ( ‫ ) اﻟﺠﺒﺎرﯾﺖ‬is as shown:

4.62 ms 2.31ms 3.495 ms 2.31 ms

ms
5 .0 0 m
ms

5 .0 0
5 .0 0

3.16 ms 3.16 ms 3.16 ms

0.80 m 0.80m
0.15 m 0.15m

24- In some cases (when needed) especially in through bridge, we can

lower the stringer by maximum of 15cm in order to decrease the height
of construction and increase distance between rail & upper beam.

Min 5cm

X.G.

1.8m

0.3-0.4m

Min 5.5m
H
S/10

Min 5cm
B/9
-
B/7
1.8m 1.7m 1.8m 1.7m 1.8m 1.8m 1.7m 1.8m
8.8-9.2 m
12.3-12.5 m

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Layout
25- The stringer may be added over the X.G. The actual height of
construction in this case will be hstringer + hx.g.+0.45

1.8m 1.7m 1.8m

8.8-9.2 m

26- When to use Subdivided trusses

For long spans (70 m or more) with narrow bridge (single track)
In this case the span of stringer will be 7m or more while span of
X.G. will be 3.5m in case of deck or 5.5m in case of pony or through.
i.e. the depth of stringer will be bigger than depth of X.G.
So use subdivided to reduce span of stringer

7-8m
70-80m

Deck bridge

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Layout

7-8m 70-80m

Pony or through

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Layout
Very Very Important:
How to determine the type of bridge whether it is deck, pony,
through?
The choice of the type of bridge depends mainly on:
1- Whether the compression chord is supported or not.
From the point of supporting compression chord, Deck Bridge is the
best choice then through bridge & finally pony is the most expensive.
2- The relation between the available height of construction "H"
and the construction height of the bridge "Hc".
a- The construction height of the bridge "Hc" is measured from the top of
the bridge floor (the rail level) to the level of the bottom flange of the
lower chord.
‫ﯾﻘﺎس ﻣﻦ ﻣﻨﺴﻮب اﻟﻘﻄﺎرات )أﻟﻘﻀﯿﺒﺎن( اﻟﻰ ﻣﻨﺴﻮب أﺳﻔﻞ ﻧﻘﻄﺔ ﻓﻰ اﻟﻜﻮﺑﺮى‬
- Height for deck bridge is htruss + 0.2(sleeper) + 0.15 (rail) +
(0.1 is the deflection)
- Height of construction for pony and through bridge is h XG +
0.45.
b- Available construction height "H" may be given or calculated as
follows:
H = Bank level – H.W.L – Δ required for navigation

Bank level

Navigation
H.W.L.

The actual height of construction "Hc" must be less than or equal the
available height of construction "H". (HC ≤ H).

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 Railway truss bridges
Layout
L
 If Htruss + 0.45 = +0.45 ≤ H So use deck bridge.
10  12
L
 If Htruss + 0.45 = +0.45 > H So use through or pony.
10  12

We try first to make it through bridge, if not so pony bridge

How to determine whether the bridge is through or not?

0.3-0.4m

Min 5.5m
H

S/10
B/9
-
B/7
1.8m 1.7m 1.8m 1.7m 1.8m

12.3-12.5 m

If the height of the truss

L
( ) – hxg – 0.35 (sleeper + rail) – 0.3 (height of upper beam) 
10  12
5.5m
So we can use through bridge.

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Layout
Examples to determine the type of bridge:
Example 1:
2 tracks railway bridge crosses a river with level of H.W.L (10.00) and
L.W.L (8.00). The Rail level is (15.00) and the height required for
navigation is 3.00. The width of the river is 50 m.
Solution:
 Width of river = span of bridge
 H = Available height of construction = 15 – 10 – 3 = 2 m
50
H C deck = + 0.45 = 5.45
10  12
 4.6 m > 2 m
So we cannot make Deck Bridge.
Since we will use pony or through bridge, so B = 5.3+3.5 = 9.0m
B 9
H XG =  = 1.0m
8 79
For through bridge: h = 5- 1 – 0.35 -0.3 = 3.35m  5.5m
So we cannot use through Bridge
So the bridge must be pony

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Layout

Example 2: Important
3 tracks railway bridge crosses a river with level of H.W.L (10.00) and
L.W.L (8.00). The Rail level is (18.00) and the height required for
navigation is 3.00. The width of the river is 50 m.
Solution:
 H = Available height of construction = 18 – 10 – 3 = 5 m
50
 H C = for deck = + 0.45 = 4.60  5.45 m
10  12
O.K. use Deck Bridge with H truss = 5- 0.45
= 4.55m

Example 3:
One track railway bridge crosses a river with level of H.W.L (10.00)
and L.W.L (8.00). The Road level is (15.00) and the height required
for navigation is 3.00. The width of the river is 70 m.
Solution:
H= 15 – 10 – 3 = 2 m
70 0.3
H C for deck = + 0.45
10  12 Min 5.5m
H
= 6.3m  7.45 m > 3 m
So it is either pony or through
0.65
Since this bridge is through or pony 1.8m

So B of X.G = 5.3m 5.3m

5.3
H XG = = 0.65 m Take HMG = 0.65 + 0.45 + 5.5 + 0.3 = 7.0 m
8

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