Abstract

Selection of bridge bearings is one of important problems in bridge design. Inappropriate bearings selection leads to damage in the bridge or unnecessarily increase costs of bridge structure. In this paper the thermal movement distribution in skewed bridges was calculated for different bearing systems using numerical methods. Three typical types of bridges were selected for numerical analysis: concrete box bridge, two steel girders bridge and four girders composite bridge. Temperature distribution in cross-sections of bridges was calculated using finite element thermal analysis program FETAB for the warmest and coldest time of the year. Next, thermal movement distribution in selected bridges was calculated using ANSYS. An influence of skew angle in skewed bridges on distribution of thermal movements for different bearing systems was also analysed.