PSI - Issue 84

Available online at www.sciencedirect.com

ScienceDirect

Procedia Structural Integrity 84 (2026) 709–716

© 2026 The Authors. Published by ELSEVIER B.V. This is an open access article under the CC BY-NC-ND license (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0) Peer-review under responsibility of the scientific committee of the Conference Abstract This research work aims to conduct an in-depth analysis of the structural performance in terms of strength and stiffness of girder bridge decks, with a particular focus on the use and application of software that were available and commonly employed in structural engineering during the 1970s. In an era characterized by rapid technological evolution but with computational resources significantly inferior to those of today, understanding the modelling and calculation methodologies of that time is of crucial importance. This study presents a detailed simulated project that faithfully reproduces a typical girder deck case, applying the analytical approaches and software tools used in that decade. The primary objective of this investigation is twofold: on one hand, to offer a historical-critical perspective on the evolution of computer-aided design and structural analysis techniques, highlighting the challenges and solutions adopted by designers of the time. On the other hand, and more relevant to the current context, it aims to evaluate the reliability, limitations, and intrinsic potential of such analytical tools compared to contemporary calculation methodologies and standards. The results from this simulation will provide valuable insights regarding potential structural criticalities, as well as the reserves of robustness and safety inherent in a large segment of the existing infrastructure heritage in Italy and worldwide, which was conceived and verified using these very techniques and software. This work intends to offer a significant contribution to the “clinical history” of existing bridges, providing fundamental data and considerations for a more accurate interpretation of historical design documentation and to support more informed and strategic decisions concerning their inspection, evaluation, maintenance, and, if necessary, structural reinforcement. III Fabre Conference: Existing Bridges, Viaducts, and Tunnels: Research, Innovation, and Applications Simulated project: analysis of strength and stiffness of girder bridge decks using 1970s structural software Galileo Tamasi a * a National Agency for Safety of Railway and Road Infrastructures, Viale del Policlinico, 2 – 00185 – Rome, Italy

* Corresponding author. Tel.: +39-320-619-7910 E-mail address: galileo.tamasi@ansfisa.gov.it

2452-3216 © 2026 The Authors. Published by ELSEVIER B.V. This is an open access article under the CC BY-NC-ND license (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0) Peer-review under responsibility of the scientific committee of the Conference 10.1016/j.prostr.2026.06.091