5
For the main longitudinal beam it was
used the same tube section of the arch, a CHS
(Circular Hollow Section) with D = 1250 mm
and t = 25 mm, for aesthetic reasons mainly,
and two secondary longitudinal box-girders
beams were set on both cantilever tips, to stiff
the grid steel structure and better redistribute
the hangers forces through the deck.
Figure 4.2 – Transversal girders cross-section
The transversal beams were base on
important works like the Puente de
Exposición in Valencia or Pont
l’Observatoire in Liège (Figure 4.3), from the
famous architect Santiago Calatrava, leading
to a maximum and minimum cross-section
presented on Figure 4.2.
Figure 4.3 – Pont de l’Observatoire in Belgium
The chosen cross-section for the arch,
the same as the main longitudinal beam, was a
CHS (D = 2500 mm and t = 80 mm) since it’s
going to be heavily compressed and subjected
to high bending moments in every direction.
The arch height and the hangers were
designed simultaneously due to the fulfilment
of the 5.0 m minimum required gabarit over the
sidewalks kerb. Since there was a maximum
height (1/4 of the span) defined by the study of
other Bowstring cases, 30 m high was the
chosen solution. From that, several designs
were made for the hanger’s geometry, leading
to an inclined Net solution of Figure 4.4.
Figure 4.4 – Geometry of the hangers
4.3. MATERIALS AND ACTIONS
The materials adopted were the
concrete C35/45 for the deck slab; steel
la
reinforcement bars A500; steel grade
de [3]
S420 NH/NHL for all deck girders and grade
[3]
S460 NH/NHL for the arch; and steel S355
or S460 for the hangers.
For every step of the design, the actions
(dead loads, hangers installed forces, live
loads and fatigue) were considered. With all
the permanent actions in play, it is able to
[4] [5]
verify the ULS and fatigue , as well as the
ULS and stability of the arch.
5. SAFETY VERIFICATIONS
To determine the required area of
reinforcement in the concrete deck slab, the
shell bending moments were obtained by with
a 3D finite beam/shell elements analysis
model. The longitudinal slab cracking was
relevant to the slab behaviour, and a fictitious