DESIGN OF PLATE GIRDER BRIDGE

CE-3112
1. Design Specification for plate girder bridge

The basic difference between beam and girder is their web slenderness ratio h/tw. When this value is
greater than 760/Fb, the beam is normally called girder. When no local buckling is allowed to form
on the compression flange, the girder is called compacted section otherwise it will be called as non-
compacted section. Depending on the type of girder, use Chapter B, F and Chapter G accordingly.
2. Design method
3. Work out Examples
Design a Welded plate girder with a simply support span of 56 ft to support a
uniform load of 3kips/ft (including girder self weight) and two concentrated loads
of 75 kips located 20 ft from each end. The compression flange is laterally
supported only at point of concentrated load. Use ASTM A 36 steel and the AISC
design guideline. Use also AASHTO bridge design manual whenever deemed
necessary.
Solution:
75 kips 75 kips

3 kips/ft

20 ft 16 ft 20 ft

159
99

24

24

99
159
Shear Diagram (kips)
Mmax= 2676
2580

2580

Design of Plate Girder Bridge by AISC ASD method 1 Moment Diagram (kip-ft)
Course Teacher: Ataur Rahman, Assistant Professor, CE, KUET
 Fy = 36 ksi [From Table-1]
Max shear = 159 kips
Max Moment = 2676 kip-ft
A. Preliminary web design:
1. Select a girder with a depth of about 1/8 of the span:
L = 56 ft
L 56 12
  84"
8 8
Take a trial depth of 80”
2. For no reduction in allowable bending stress, Fb in flange:
h 760 760
   162 [Fb = 0.6Fy, Eq. F1-5] [Table B5.1, Chap-F, Page 5-145]
tw Fb 22

tw  0.494"
The corresponding thickness of the web = 0.494”
3. Maximum ratio of clear distance between flange to web thickness:
h 14000
  322 [Chap-G, Eq. G1-1]
t Fy ( Fy  16.5)

The corresponding minimum web thickness, t=0.248”

Try a web plate ¼  80: Aw = 0.25  80 = 20 in2
h 80
  320  162
t 1
4

Allowable flange stress criteria will be reduced (see B-3).

B. Preliminary flange design:

1. Required flange area:
An approximate formula for the area of one flange is:
M 2676 12
Af    18.24 in2
Fb h 22  80

bf = 20”

7
tf = /8”

1 h = 80”
tw = /4”

7
tf = /8”
bf = 20”

Design of Plate Girder Bridge by AISC ASD method 2 Course Teacher: Ataur Rahman, Assistant Professor, CE, KUET
 Try a plate with 7/8  20 = 17.5 in2
Section properties:
i) Moment of Inertia:
 803 
Ix    2  20  40.4382  [Neglect the Ix for flanges]
 4 12 
= 76,900 in4
ii) Section Modulus:
I x 67,900
Sx    1661 in3
c 40.875
Moment of Inertia of flange plus 1/6 of web about y axis (weak axis)
7 203
Iy    583 in4 20”
8 12
Aw 80 1
Area = Af   17.5    20.83 in2
6 6 4 80/6”
Iy 853
Radius of gyration, rT    5.3 in
A 20.83
2. Check the ½ flange width/thickness ratio
The permissible ½ flange width/thickness ratio is:
bf 95

2t f Fy
95
 15.8 [Commentary C-F2]
Fy
bf
 11.4  15.8 OK
2t f

3. Check the allowable bending stress in flange:

i) For 16 ft middle panel:
Maximum bending stress at mid-span:
M max 2676 12
fb    19.3 ksi
Sx 1661
The moment between the ends is greater than the moments at the ends, M1 and M2
i.e Mmax > M1 and M2 Cb = 1 [ Chapter F-1.3]

102 103 Cb
 53 Cb
Mmax= 2676
2580

2580

Fy
l 16 12
  36.2  53 OK M1 M2
rt 5.3

The allowable stress based upon lateral buckling criteria:

Fb  0.6Fy  21.6 ksi [Eq. F1-5]

Reduced allowable bending stress in compression flange:

Fb  Fb  RPG  Re
Where,

Design of Plate Girder Bridge by AISC ASD method 3 Course Teacher: Ataur Rahman, Assistant Professor, CE, KUET
 Aw  h 760 
RPG  1  0.0005     1.0 [ Eq. G2-1]
Af  t Fb 

Re = 1 (for non-hybrid girder section)

 20  760  
 Fb  Fb 1  0.0005  320  
 17.5  21.6  
= 19.67 ksi > 19.3 OK
ii) For 20 ft end panels:
Maximum bending stress at end-span:

2580

2580
2676
M 2580 12
fb    18.6 ksi
Sx 1661 M1 M2
2
M M 
Cb  1.75  1.05 1  0.3  1 
M2  M2 
M1
Where M1 = 0; then 0  Cb  1.75
M2

102 103 Cb
 53 1.75  70.41
Fy
l 20 12
  45.3  70.41 OK
rt 5.3

Fb  19.67
 fb  Fb OK

Use for Web: one plate ¼  80

for Flange: two plate 7/8  20
C. Stiffener requirements:
75kips 75kips
Stiffener

Bearing stiffener under Girder X section

End bearing stiffener concentrated load Intermediate stiffener

1. Bearing Stiffener:
i) End bearing stiffeners are required at unframed girder ends
ii) Check bearing under concentrated load:
Assume point bearing and ¼ in. web-to-flange welds.
Local web yielding:
R
 0.66 Fy [Eq. K1-2]
tw  N  5k 

Where,
R= concentrated load or reaction, kip

Design of Plate Girder Bridge by AISC ASD method 4 Course Teacher: Ataur Rahman, Assistant Professor, CE, KUET
 tw = thickness of the web, inch
N= length of bearing (not less than k for end reactions) , inch
k= distance from outer face of flange to web toe of fillet, inch
R 75
  60  0.66  36  23.8 ksi Not Governed
tw  N  5k  1
4  0  5 1

[Note: If local web yielding criterion is satisfied, criteria for crippling in Sec K1.4 and Sec K1.5
would have to be checked]
 Provide bearing stiffener under concentrated load
2. Intermediate Stiffeners:
Stiffeners are not required if,
h
 260 and f v  Fv ,
tw
where, fv = Actual shear stress
Fv = Allowable shear stress
h 80
Here,   320  260 So, stiffeners are required.
tw 14
V 159
fv    7.95 ksi
Aw 20
Find the allowable shear stress,
Fy
Fv  Cv  0.40 Fy
2.89
Where,
45, 000kv 5.34
Cv  when  0.8 kv  4.00  when a <1.0
Fy  
2
ah
2 h
h
tw
and,
190 kv 4.00
Cv  when  0.8 kv  5.35  when a >1.0
 h
2 h
h
tw Fy a

tw = thickness of the web, inch

a = clear distance between transverse stiffeners, inch
h = clear distance between flanges at the section under investigation, inc
Try, a = 30 inch
a 30
  0.375
h 80
5.34
kv  4.00   41.97
ah
2

45, 000kv 45, 000  41.97

Cv    0.512  0.8 OK
Fy  h tw  36  3202
2

Fy 36
Fv  Cv  0.512  6.38 ksi
2.89 2.89
 0.40 Fy  14.4 ksi OK

Shear stress at a distance 30 in from the end,

V 159  2.5  3
fv    7.575 ksi > Fv Not satisfied. Design should be revised.
Aw 20

Design of Plate Girder Bridge by AISC ASD method 5 Course Teacher: Ataur Rahman, Assistant Professor, CE, KUET
Try, a = 25 inch
a 25
  0.3125
h 80
5.34
kv  4.00   58.68
 0.3125
2

45, 000kv 45, 000  58.68

Cv    0.716  0.8 OK
Fy  h tw  36  3202
2

Fy 36
Fv  Cv  0.716  8.92 ksi
2.89 2.89
 0.40 Fy  14.4 ksi OK

Shear stress at a distance 25 in from the end,

V 159  2512  3
fv    7.64 ksi  Fv OK
Aw 20

3. Locate the position of remaining intermediate stiffeners:

2
 
a  260   260 
2

     0.66 ; a = spacing of the intermediate stiffener [Eq.F5-1]

h   h    320 
 
  tw  
 a  0.66  80  52.8 inch

i) For spacing between the first intermediate stiffener and the concentrated load:
For a/h = 0.66 and h/t = 320, Fv = 9.7 ksi [Table 2-36, Page 2-234]

[Note: if the value cannot be obtained directly from the table, use interpolation]
Alternatively you can use the following formula;

Fy  1  Cv

  0.40 F
Fv  Cv  [Eq.G3-1]
2.89   y
1.15 1   a h 
2
 

Using 5 stiffeners at a spacing of 43 inch will furnish the remaining intermediate stiffeners (as
shown in Fig. below).
20 12  25
a  43 inch
5
75kips 75kips
interior stiffener ¼  4  6’-7”
bearing stiffener ½  8  6’-8”

25” 5 @ 43” =215” 4@ 48” = 192”

20 ft 16ft 20 ft

Design of Plate Girder Bridge by AISC ASD method 6 Course Teacher: Ataur Rahman, Assistant Professor, CE, KUET
 ii) For Spacing in the mid 16 ft panel:
Note: here bending stress is critical, so check for bending stress. Use Eq. for tension filed action.
Here also, a  52.8"
Use 3 stiffeners at a distance of 48” c/c.
[If 2 stiffeners are used, the spacing will be 64” which is greater than 52.8”]
Check interaction at concentrated load in tension field panel:
Allowable bending tensile stress in the web:
 f 
Fbx   0.825  0.375 v  Fy  0.60Fy [Eq. G5-1]
 Fv 
Here,
fv = computed average web shear stress (total shear divided by web area) ksi
Fv = allowable web shear stress according to Eq. G3-1, ksi
99
 fv   4.95 ksi
20

Fy  1  Cv

  0.40 F
Fv  Cv 
2.89   y
1.15 1   a h 
2
 
a  48"  a h  48 80  0.6
5.34
kv  4.00   18.83
ah
2

45, 000kv 45, 000 18.83

Cv    0.23  0.8 OK
Fy  h tw  36  3202
2

36  1  0.23 
 Fv  0.23    10 ksi
2.89  1.15 1  (0.6) 2 

 4.95 
Fbx   0.825  0.375  Fy  0.64 Fy  0.60 Fy
 10.0 
 Fbx  0.6 Fy  21.6  22

Actual bending stress in the web fb should not be greater than Fbx.

Cf

1 N.A
tw = /4”
y = 40”

Tf

My 2676 12  40
fb    18.91  22 ksi OK
I 67900
So, the above spacing for the intermediate stiffeners are acceptable.
4. Select the size of the intermediate stiffener:
i) Stiffener area:
 
 h
2
1  Cv  a a
 YDht
Ast  
2 h 1 ah
2 
 

Design of Plate Girder Bridge by AISC ASD method 7 Course Teacher: Ataur Rahman, Assistant Professor, CE, KUET
 Where,
Y = ratio of yield stress of web steel to yield stress of stiffener steel
D = 1.0 for stiffener furnished in pair
= 1.8 for single angle stiffener
= 2.4 for single plate stiffener
Stiffener steel area can be determined as % of web steel from table 2-36. [Page 2-234]
For For a/h = (48+43)/(280) =0.57 and h/t = 320, Ast = 10.7 %
 Ast  0.107  ht  0.107  80  1 4  2.14 in2
When the shear stress in a panel is less than the allowable shear stress, the reduction of gross area is
permitted in proportion.
fv 2.14  7.64
So, the actual area required, Ast  2.14 D 1  1.63 in2
Fv 10.0

Try with two plate ¼ 4 = 2 in2 > 1.63 in2 OK

Check:
4 95
ii) Width thickness ratio = b   16   15.8 OK [Table B5.1, Page 5-36]
t 14 Fy

iii) Moment of Inertia , I st   h 50    80 50   6.55 in4

4 4

1
0.25  2  4  0.25  11.7 in4 > 6.55 OK
3
Ist furnished =
12
iv) Required length, Lreqd  h  4t  80  4  1 4  79" , Furnish a length of 6’- 7”

Use for intermediate stiffeners: Two plates having dimensions of ¼  4  6’-7”

Use fillet weld for fixing the stiffener with compression flange and web.

Fillet weld
¼  4  6’-7”Stiffener

Girder X section

5. Design bearing stiffener:

Since bearing stiffener must extend approximately to edges of the flange plates,
Try with two ½  8 plates

i) Check for width/thickness ratio: b  8  16  15.8 OK

t .5
ii) Check the web crippling:
1) For UDL of 3 kips/ft load:
 4  10, 000
f a  5.5  
 a h    a h 
2 2


P 3
fa    1.0 ksi
bt 12  14
Again,

Design of Plate Girder Bridge by AISC ASD method 8 Course Teacher: Ataur Rahman, Assistant Professor, CE, KUET
  4  10, 000  4  10, 000
5.5     5.5    1.88 ksi  1.0 OK
 a h    a h    4380    4380 
2 2 2 2


2) For concentrated load of 159 kips at the ends:

end bearing stiffener ½  8

1
I  0.5 16.253  179 in 4
12 web
Aeff  2  0.5  8  12  0.25  0.25  8.75 in 2
16.25” tw = ¼ “
I 179 12 tw
r   4.52 in [K1.8]
Aeff 8.75
Note: Use 25t for interior stiffener
Kl 3 4  80
  13.3
r 4.52
Allowable stress: Fa = 21.0 ksi [Table C-36]
P 159
Actual stress: f a    18.2 ksi <Fa OK
Aeff 8.75

Use two plates of ½  8  6’-8” as end bearing stiffeners with closely fit against the flanges that
receive the concentrated loads. Use the same size of bearing stiffener under concentrated load, 20 ft.
from the ends.

75kips 75kips
interior stiffener ¼  4  6’-7”
bearing stiffener ½  8  6’-8”

25” 5 @ 43” =215” 4@ 48” = 192”

20 ft 16ft 20 ft

APPENDIX

1. Tables
2. Chapter B, F, G
3. Commentary B, F, G

Design of Plate Girder Bridge by AISC ASD method 9 Course Teacher: Ataur Rahman, Assistant Professor, CE, KUET