Analysis of Curved Girder Bridges

The Fourier Series slope-deflection method has been developed as a means of analyzing curved orthotropic deck bridge systems. Bridge deflections and internal forces in the curved girders are determined at any location on the span. The method allows for the interaction of the curved orthotropic or isotropic plates with curved elastic girders. All deflections, slopes, and internal forces are assumed as a Fourier Series and are thus determined by a term-by-term solution. Equilibrium equations are developed at all girder-plate junctions as they are at member joints in the rigid frame slope-deflection method. The entire slope-deflection analysis has been programmed for use on an IBM 7094 computer. This program is applied to an existing straight beam and a number of hypothetical curved beam spans. The effects of slab thickness, warping and pure torsional stiffness, and radius of curvature are presented for a hypothetical curved bridge system.