PSI - Issue 62

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Adalgisa Zirpoli et al. / Procedia Structural Integrity 62 (2024) 492–498 Adalgisa Zirpoli/ Structural Integrity Procedia 00 (2019) 000 – 000

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It's important to note that these relationships should be characterized with parameters that are typically calibrated through standard laboratory or in-situ tests. Furthermore, having a calculation tool that implements them becomes pointless if the necessary input data cannot be met. All these considerations (and many more, as this is an extensive topic) led Harpaceas to develop a powerful tool connecting two commercial software, each separately specialized for structural and geotechnical problems. 2. The real structure and the numerical model In this article, we examine a reinforced concrete bridge with a composite section consisting of a steel tube supporting a collaborating reinforced concrete deck (see Fig. 1).

Fig. 1. Cross section.

The deck is characterized by 3 spans and is supported by 4 reinforced concrete pillars, which transfer the loads to the foundation through reinforced concrete slabs, each having a thickness of 80 cm. The structure, dating back to the 1980s, has been chosen as the subject of this discussion due to its fairly typical structural scheme and construction technique, which are commonly employed. The relatively uncomplicated geometric shapes allow for a focus on the interoperable aspects discussed in this article. The structure was modeled using the Midas Civil structural analysis software. An analysis was conducted based on the Construction Stage approach, allowing each component to reflect the stress and deformation states associated with the actual construction phases of the structure. Even in the case of existing structures that have already experienced all the construction-related actions, it can be important to reconstruct the fabrication sequence. In this case, 6 different construction phases have been adopted: mat foundations, pillars and substructures, steel beam, slab cast, slab collaborating with its stiffness, long terms effects. Fig. 2 depicts the first fourth.