Asst. Prof. Awadh E. Ajeel & Dr.

Ahmed Hassan
HTE403: Bridges Engineering
Design of Beam Bridges

7. Design of Beam Bridges

7.1. Structural View

The beam bridges type is commonly known as deck-girder bridges, wherein girders are
designed to be the main superstructure component. So, they carry slab (deck) load including dead
and live loads in addition to its own weight and diaphragms weight thus, the girders transmit all
these loads into the exterior (abutments) and interior (piers) supports. The beams become
structurally essential when the span length 𝐿 is about (15 m or more. It is preferred to design
the beams as simply supported structures, despite that, continuous type has been constructed in
many projects. In general, there are two cross-sections of this bridges according to connection
(interfacial layer) between the deck and girders:
 Monolithic section: when the deck slab and the girders, webs or stems are cast at the same
time to be one section, such as T-beams and box beams.
 Composite section: when the slab and the girders are cast in different circumferences or time
and connected to act as one section, such as cast-in-place (CIP) concrete deck slab with
precast concrete girders or steel girders (stringers).
In order to enhance the section adequacy, prestressing techniques are adopted in long
spans bridges for slab and/or beams regardless of the section type (monolithic or composite).

Monolithic Sections

Composite Sections
Figure 7.1: Beam Bridges Sections

64
Asst. Prof. Awadh E. Ajeel & Dr. Ahmed Hassan
HTE403: Bridges Engineering
Design of Beam Bridges

Table 7.1: Typical Deck-Girder Sections

Deck Material Girder Material
CIP Concrete
CIP Concrete Precast Concrete
Steel
Precast Concrete
Precast Concrete
Steel
Steel Steel

For all deck-girder superstructures, including T-beams, it is preferred at first to design the
supporting beams and then to design of the deck in order to brief the calculation process. This is
because the length 𝑆 of the deck depends on the spacing between the beams. However, the
design of beams requires knowledge of the dead weight of the deck, which is not known yet. So,
in common design, initial deck thickness is assumed ℎ 200 mm which is usually satisfactory
for beams spacing in a 1.8 – 3 m range and then check if it satisfies LRFD stipulations.

7.2. Design of Deck in Beam Bridges

In the beam bridges, the decks behave as continuous spans in transversely for the girders.
The deck can be designed in similar manner to that adopted in slab bridges except regarding of
the main direction of the deck is perpendicular to the traffic and girders besides the need to
additional reinforcement to resist the negative moments near supports. The design maximum
positive and negative live load moments can be gotten from (Table A4-1) readily provided by
AASHTO specifications. So, the design of the deck in beam bridges can be done through the
following steps:
 Find the deck thickness ℎ 165 mm depending on its span length 𝑆 between girders.
 Calculate the unfactored Dead loads.
 Determine the unfactored live loads from AASHTO Table A4-1.
 Design the main reinforcement details for flexure (positive and negative) according to Strength
I Limit State and then design the distribution, shrinkage and temperature reinforcements.
 No need to check neither deflection nor shear, fatigue and bond stresses.

7.3. Design of Girders in Beam Bridges

In beam bridges, the main beams (girders) are in parallel with traffic direction and designed
as simple span at almost cases. Sometimes, transvers beams are found to design the deck as two-
way slab. The design of beam bridges is similar to the design of slab bridges in dividing the girders
into interior and exterior girders, but the girders have new features differ from slab bridges design
such needing to diaphragms and skin reinforcement 𝐴 . The design procedure of the girders in
beam bridges requires the following steps:
 Begin with a typical interior girder and then go to design a typical exterior girder.

65
Asst. Prof. Awadh E. Ajeel & Dr. Ahmed Hassan
HTE403: Bridges Engineering
Design of Beam Bridges

 Determine the minimum required beam thickness ℎ to control deflection depending on

the beam span length 𝐿 .
 Choose beams numbers 𝑁 4 and distribute them to get their spacing 𝑆 and accepted
deck overhang 𝑤 :
𝑤 , 0.625𝑆
1.8 m
 Determine the effective flange width 𝑏 while the:
𝑏 𝑆 𝑆 /2 [interior beam]
𝑤 𝑆/2 [exterior beam]
 Use enough web width 𝑏 𝑏 , :
𝑏 500 mm [typical value]
𝑏 , 2 𝑐 ∅ 𝑁∅ 𝑁 1 𝑠
 Calculate the unfactored loads.
 Design the required main reinforcement for flexure 𝐴 according to Strength I Limit State.
 Find the required camber from long-term deflection and check stresses at top and bottom
extreme fibers according to Service I limit State.
 Check fatigue stresses according to Fatigue I limit State.
 Design the required shear reinforcement 𝐴 according to Strength I Limit State.
 Check if skin reinforcement 𝐴 is required and design its details when it is needed.
 Continue to design the diaphragms.

7.4. Diaphragms
In typical beam bridges, diaphragms are vertical elements placed in between the girders at
the span ends (over the abutments) and also at intervals as required by the specifications. At the
span ends, the diaphragms are intended to strengthen the deck edge and to transfer horizontal
forces from the superstructure to the abutments. Whereas, the intermediate diaphragms are
intended to provide torsional stiffness to the entire superstructure.
AASHTO specifications state that diaphragms should be provided, except that they may be
omitted where tests or analysis show adequate strength without them. For T-girders, diaphragms
or other means are required to be placed at span ends and intermediate diaphragms are to be
placed in between the girders of maximum moment for span over 12 m .

Figure 7.2: Intermediate and End Diaphragms in between Girders

66
Asst. Prof. Awadh E. Ajeel & Dr. Ahmed Hassan
HTE403: Bridges Engineering
Design of Beam Bridges

Example 7.1
Design a reinforced concrete T-beam bridge for a simple span of 20 m between centers of
bearings. The bridge is required to carry two traffic lanes and have traffic barriers are 0.5 m wide
on each side weighing 7.5 kN/m each. The clear roadway width is 9 m between the curbs. The
design should make a provision for a dead load of 1.2 kN/m2 for FWS. The bridge does not carry
any utilities. The material properties are as follows:
Specified 28-day compressive strength of concrete 35 MPa
A706 Grade 420 reinforcement.

20 m

Elevation
Figure 7.3: Elevation of the T-beam of Example 7.1
Solution 7.1
Preliminary Section
try 𝑁 4
𝑆 10/4 2.5 m
ℎ , 𝑆 3 /30 2.5 3 /30 0.183 m
use ℎ 200 mm
ℎ 0.07𝐿 0.07 20 1.4 m
use ℎ 1400 mm → ℎ 1400 200 1200 mm
𝑤 1.25 m
𝑤, 0.625𝑆 0.625 2.5 1.56 m governs
1.8 m
𝑤 1.25 m 𝑤 , 1.56 m ∴ OK
use 𝑏 600 mm
0.5 m 9m 0.5 m

0.75 m

0.6 h 1.4 m
hw 1.2 m bw hd 0.2 m m

2.5 m S 2.5 m 2.5 m 1.25 m

Section
Design of Deck Slab
Unfactored Loads Based on 1 m Width for Flexure:
 Dead loads:
𝑤 ℎ 𝑏𝛶 0.2 1 24 4.8 kN/m
𝑀 𝑤 𝐿 /24 4.8 2.5 /24 1.25 kN.m
𝑀 𝑤 𝐿 /12 4.8 2.5 /12 2.5 kN.m
67
Asst. Prof. Awadh E. Ajeel & Dr. Ahmed Hassan
HTE403: Bridges Engineering
Design of Beam Bridges

𝑤 𝑞 𝑏 1.2 1 1.2 kN/m

𝑀 𝑤 𝐿 /24 1.2 2.5 /24 0.31 kN.m
𝑀 𝑤 𝐿 /12 1.2 2.5 /12 0.63 kN.m
 Live loads:
𝑆 2.5 m
𝑆 2.5 m → 𝑀 26.31 kN.m
𝑏 /2 300 mm → 𝑀 16.05 kN.m
Reinforcement for Flexure:
 Positive main reinforcements:
𝐴 1.25𝑀 /𝑓 𝑑
𝑀 𝜂 1.25𝑀 1.50𝑀 1.75𝑀
𝜂 1.0
𝑀 1.25 1.25 1.50 0.31 1.75 26.31 48.07 kN.m
try ∅ 16 mm → 𝐴 201 mm2
𝑐 25 mm
𝑠 1.5Ø 1.5 16 24 mm
1.5𝑑 1.5 19 28.5 mm
38 mm governs
𝑠 1.5ℎ 1.5 200 300 mm
3ℎ 3 200 600 mm for 𝐴
450 mm governs
𝑑 ℎ 𝑐 ∅ /2 200 25 16/2 167 mm
𝐴, 1.25 48.07x10 / 420 167 856.68 mm2
𝑠 𝐴 x10 𝐴 , 201x10 /856.68 234.63 mm
use ∅16 @ 200 mm c/c perpendicular to traffic at bottom
𝐴 𝐴 x10 ⁄𝑠 201x10 /200 1005 mm2
𝑓 35 MPa
𝛽 0.85 0.05 𝑓 28 /7 0.85 0.05 35 28 /7 0.8
𝑐 𝐴 𝑓 ⁄0.85𝑓 𝛽 𝑏 1005 420 ⁄ 0.85 35 0.8 1000 17.74 mm
𝜀 𝑑 𝑐 /𝑐 𝜀 167 17.74 /17.74 0.003 0.025 0.005 ∴ OK
𝑎 𝛽 𝑐 0.8 17.74 14.19 mm
𝑀 𝐴𝑓 𝑑 𝑎/2 1005 420 167 14.19/2 67.5 kN.m
𝑀 𝜙 𝑀 0.9 67.5 60.75 kN.m 𝑀 48.07 kN.m ∴ OK
Check for minimum reinforcement:
𝑀 𝛾 𝛾𝑓 𝑆
𝛾 0.75 , 𝛾 1.6
𝑓 0.62𝜆 𝑓 0.62 1 √35 3.67 MPa
𝐼 𝑏ℎ ⁄12 1000 200 /12 666.67x10 mm4
𝑦 ℎ⁄2 200/2 100 mm
68
Asst. Prof. Awadh E. Ajeel & Dr. Ahmed Hassan
HTE403: Bridges Engineering
Design of Beam Bridges

𝑆 𝐼 ⁄𝑦 666.67x10 /100 6.67x10 mm3

𝑀 1.2𝑓 𝑆 1.2 3.67 6.67x10 29.36 kN.m
1.33𝑀 1.33 48.07 63.93 kN.m 𝑀 29.36 kN.m
𝑀 60.75 kN.m 𝑀 29.36 kN.m ∴ OK
Check for reinforcement spacing:
𝑠 123x10 𝛾 / 𝛽 𝑓 2𝑑
𝑀 𝑀 𝑀 𝑀
𝑀 1.25 0.31 26.31 27.87 kN.m
𝑓 𝑀 /𝑆 27.87x10 /6.67x10 4.18 MPa
0.8𝑓 0.8 3.67 2.94 MPa
𝑓 4.18 MPa 0.8𝑓 2.94 MPa ∴ cracked section
𝐸 4800 𝑓 4800√35 28.4x10 MPa
𝑛 𝐸 /𝐸 200x10 /28.4x10 7.04
𝜌 𝐴 /𝑏𝑑 1005/ 167x10 0.0061
𝑛𝜌 7.04 0.0061 0.042
𝑘 𝑛𝜌 2𝑛𝜌 𝑛𝜌 0.042 2 0.042 0.042 0.251
𝑗 1 𝑘/3 1 0.251/3 0.916
𝑗𝑑 𝑗 𝑑 0.916 167 153 mm
𝑓 𝑀 / 𝐴 𝑗𝑑 27.87x10 / 1005 153 181.25 MPa
0.6𝑓 0.6 420 252 MPa
𝑓 181.25 MPa 0.6𝑓 252 MPa ∴ OK
𝛾 0.75 class 2 exposure
𝑑 𝑐 ∅ /2 25 16/2 33 mm
𝛽 1 𝑑 / 0.7 ℎ 𝑑 1 33/ 0.7 200 33 1.28
𝑠 123x10 0.75 / 1.28 181.25 2 33 464.17 mm
𝑠 200 mm 𝑠 464.17 mm ∴ OK
 Distribution (lateral) reinforcement:
𝐴 ψ𝐴
ψ 38.4/√𝑆 38.4/ 2.5x10 0.756 0.67 NOK
use ψ 0.67
𝐴 0.67 1005 673.35 mm2
try ∅ 16 mm → 𝐴 201 mm2
𝑠 𝐴 x10 /𝐴 201x10 /673.35 298.51 mm
use ∅16 @ 250 mm c/c parallel to traffic at bottom
 Shrinkage and temperature reinforcement:
𝐴 750𝑏ℎ/ 2 𝑏 ℎ 𝑓
233 𝐴 1270 mm2
𝐴 750 1000 200 / 2 1200 420 297.62 mm2
try ∅ 12 mm → 𝐴 113 mm2
69
Asst. Prof. Awadh E. Ajeel & Dr. Ahmed Hassan
HTE403: Bridges Engineering
Design of Beam Bridges

𝑠 𝐴 x10 /𝐴 113x10 /297.62 379.68 mm

use ∅12 @ 350 mm c/c each side and parallel to traffic at top
 Negative main reinforcements:
𝑀 1.25 2.5 1.50 0.63 1.75 16.05 32.16 kN.m
2
try ∅ 16 mm → 𝐴 201 mm
𝑐 50 mm
𝑑 ℎ 𝑐 ∅ /2 200 50 16/2 142 mm
𝐴, 1.25 32.16x10 / 420 142 674.04 mm2
𝑠 𝐴 x10 𝐴 , 201x10 ⁄674.04 298.2 mm
use ∅16 @ 250 mm c/c perpendicular to traffic at top
A 𝐴 x10 ⁄𝑠 201x10 /250 804 mm2
𝑐 𝐴 𝑓 ⁄0.85𝑓 𝛽 𝑏 804 420 ⁄ 0.85 35 0.8 1000 14.19 mm
𝜀 𝑑 𝑐 /𝑐 𝜀 142 14.19 /14.19 0.003 0.027 0.005 ∴ OK
𝑎 𝛽𝑐 0.8 14.19 11.35 mm
𝑀 A 𝑓 𝑑 𝑎/2 804 420 142 11.35/2 46.03 kN.m
𝑀 𝜙 𝑀 0.9 46.03 41.43 kN.m 𝑀 31.16 kN.m ∴ OK
Design of Interior Girder
Unfactored Loads for Flexure:
 Dead loads:
𝑏 𝑆 2.5 m
𝐴 𝐴 𝐴 2.5 0.2 0.6 1.2 1.22 m2
𝑤 𝑤 𝐴 𝛶 1.22 24 29.28 kN/m
𝑀 𝑤 𝐿 /8 29.28 20 /8 1464 kN.m
𝑏 𝑏 2.5 m
𝑤 𝑞 𝑏 1.2 2.5 3 kN/m
𝑀 𝑤 𝐿 /8 3 20 /8 150 kN.m
 Live loads:
𝐿 20 m 12 m → 𝑀 𝑀
𝑀 1246.4 kN.m
𝑤 9.3 kN/m
𝑀 𝑤 𝐿 /8 9.3 20 /8 465 kN. m
Live load distribution factors:
𝑁 4 𝑁 4 ∴ OK
6 𝐿 73 𝐿 20 m ∴ OK
1.1 𝑆 4.9 𝑆 2.5 m ∴ OK
110 ℎ 300 ℎ 200 mm ∴ OK
4x10 𝐾 3x10 𝐾 684.2x10 mm4 ∴ OK
𝑛 𝐸 /𝐸 1
𝐼 𝑏 ℎ /12 600 1200 /12 86.4x10 mm4
70
Asst. Prof. Awadh E. Ajeel & Dr. Ahmed Hassan
HTE403: Bridges Engineering
Design of Beam Bridges

𝐴 1.22x10 mm2
𝑒 ℎ /2 ℎ /2 200/2 1200/2 700 mm
𝐾 𝑛 𝐼 𝐴 𝑒 1 86.4x10 1.22x10 700 684.2x10 mm4
𝑤 9m
𝑁 INT w/3.6 INT 9/3.6 2 ∴ check both 𝑔 and 𝑔
Live load distribution factor for bending moment:
.
𝑔 0.06 𝑆⁄4.3 . 𝑆⁄𝐿 . 𝐾 ⁄𝐿ℎ
0.06 2.5/4.3 . 2.5⁄20 . 684.2x10 / 20x10 200 .
0.56
.
𝑔 0.075 𝑆/2.9 . S/L . 𝐾 ⁄𝐿ℎ
0.075 2.5⁄2.9 . 2.5/20 . 684.2x10 / 20x10 200 .
0.77
∴ 𝐷𝐹 0.77
Total live load:
𝑀 𝑀 1 𝐼𝑀 𝑀 𝐷𝐹
1246.4 1.33 465 0.77 1634.5 kN.m
Reinforcement for Flexure:
𝐴 1.25𝑀 /𝑓 𝑑
𝑀 𝜂 1.25𝑀 1.50𝑀 1.75𝑀
𝜂 1.0
𝑀 1.25 1464 1.50 150 1.75 1634.5 4915.38 kN.m
2
try ∅ 36 mm → 𝐴 1020 mm
and ∅ 12 mm → 𝐴 113 mm2
𝑐 50 mm
𝑠 1.5Ø 1.5 36 54 mm governs
1.5𝑑 1.5 19 28.5 mm
38 mm
𝑠 1.5ℎ 1.5 1400 2100 mm
450 mm governs
𝑑 ℎ 𝑐 ∅ ∅ /2 1400 50 12 18 1320 mm
𝐴, 1.25 4915.38x10 / 420 1320 11082.65 mm2
𝑁 𝐴 , ⁄𝐴 11082.65⁄1020 11 bars
𝑠 𝑏 2 𝑐 ∅ 𝑁∅ / 𝑁 1
600 2 50 12 11 36 /10 8 mm 𝑠 54 mm NOK
Arrange the bars in 2 layers of 6 bars at each layer
𝑠 600 2 50 12 6 36 /5 52 mm say OK
Spacing for multilayers:
𝑠 Ø 36 mm governs
25 mm
𝑠 150 mm

71
Asst. Prof. Awadh E. Ajeel & Dr. Ahmed Hassan
HTE403: Bridges Engineering
Design of Beam Bridges

use 𝑠 100 mm
𝑑 ℎ 𝑐 ∅ ∅ 𝑠 / 1400 50 12 36 50 1252 mm
𝑠𝑎𝑦 𝑑 1250 mm
𝐴 12 1020 12240 mm2
𝑐 𝐴 𝑓 / 0.85𝑓 𝛽 𝑏 12240 420 / 0.85 35 0.8 2500 86.4 mm
𝑑 1320 mm
𝜀 𝜀 𝑑 𝑐 /𝑐 0.003 1320 86.4 /86.4 0.043 0.005 ∴ OK
𝑎 𝛽 𝑐 0.8 86.4 69.12 mm
∵ 𝑎 69.12 mm ℎ 200 mm ∴ the section behaves as a rectangular
𝑀 𝐴𝑓 𝑑 𝑎/2 12240 420 1250 69.12/2 6248.33 kN.m
𝑀 𝜙 𝑀 0.9 6248.33 5623.5 kN.m
𝑀 5623.5 kN.m 𝑀 4915.38 kN.m ∴ OK
Check for minimum reinforcement:
𝑀 𝛾 𝛾𝑓 𝑆
𝑓 3.67 MPa
𝑦 𝐴 𝑦 𝐴 𝑦 /𝐴 2.5 0.2 0.1 0.6 1.2 0.8 /1.22 0.513 m
𝑦 513 mm
𝑦 ℎ 𝑦 1400 513 887 mm
2500 mm

200 mm ❶
513 mm

❷
yt

1400 mm
1200 mm

𝐼 2500 513 /3 1900 313 /3 600 887 /3 232.657x10 mm

𝑆 𝐼 ⁄𝑦 232.657x10 /887 262.3x10 mm3
𝑀 1.2𝑓 𝑆 1.2 3.67 262.3x10 1155.15 kN.m
1.33𝑀 1.33 4915.38 6537.46 kN.m 𝑀 1155.15 kN.m
𝑀 5623.5 kN.m 𝑀 1155.15 kN.m ∴ OK
Check for reinforcement spacing:
𝑠 123x10 𝛾 / 𝛽 𝑓 2𝑑
𝑀 𝑀 𝑀 𝑀
𝑀 1464 150 1634.5 3248.5 kN.m
𝑓 𝑀 /𝑆 3248.5x10 /262.3x10 12 MPa
0.8𝑓 2.94 MPa
𝑓 4.18 MPa 0.8𝑓 12.38 MPa ∴ cracked section
𝐸 28.4x10 MPa
𝑛 7.04

72
Asst. Prof. Awadh E. Ajeel & Dr. Ahmed Hassan
HTE403: Bridges Engineering
Design of Beam Bridges

𝜌 𝐴 /𝑏𝑑 12240/ 600 1250 0.0163

𝑛𝜌 7.04 0.0163 0.115
𝑘 𝑛𝜌 2𝑛𝜌 𝑛𝜌 0.115 2 0.115 0.115 0.378
𝑗 1 𝑘/3 1 0.378/3 0.874
𝑗𝑑 𝑗 𝑑 0.874 1250 1092.5 mm
𝑓 𝑀 / 𝐴 𝑗𝑑 3248.5x10 / 12240 1092.5 242.93 MPa
0.6𝑓 0.6 420 252 MPa
𝑓 242.93 MPa 0.6𝑓 252 MPa ∴ OK
𝛾 0.75 class 2 exposure
𝑑 𝑐 ∅ /2 50 36/2 68 mm
𝛽 1 𝑑 / 0.7 ℎ 𝑑 1 68/ 0.7 1400 68 1.07
𝑠 123x10 0.75 / 1.07 242.93 2 68 218.9 mm
𝑠 52 mm f/f → 88 mm c/c
𝑠 88 mm 𝑠 218.9 mm ∴ OK
Dead Load Deflection and Camber:
Instantaneous deflection:
∆ 5𝑀 𝐿 /48𝐸 𝐼
𝑀 𝑀 𝑀 1464 150 1614 kN.m
𝑀 𝑀 1614 kN.m
𝑀 𝑓𝑆 3.67 262.3x10 962.64 kN.m
𝑀 /𝑀 962.64/1614 0.6
𝑘𝑑 0.378 1250 472.5 mm ℎ 200 mm → NA lies in the web
𝐼 𝑏𝑘𝑑 /3 𝑏 𝑏 𝑘𝑑 ℎ /3 𝑛𝐴 𝑑 𝑘𝑑
2500 472.5 /3 1900 272.5 /3 7.04 12240 777.5
4
127.182x10 mm
𝐼 𝑀 ⁄𝑀 𝐼 1 𝑀 ⁄𝑀 𝐼
0.6 232.657x10 1 0.6 127.182x10 149.965x10 mm4
𝐼 149.965x10 mm4 𝐼 232.657x10 ∴ OK
∆ 5 1614x10 20x10 ⁄ 48 28.4x10 149.965x10 15.79 mm
Long-term deflection:
∆ ∆ 𝐼 /𝐼 15.79 149.965/232.657 10.18 mm
∆ 4∆ 4 10.18 40.72 mm
3∆ 3 15.79 47.37 mm 𝐴 0
use ∆ 47.37 mm
Camber:
∴ Required Camber ∆ 47.37 mm

73