Application development for assessment of moments in bridges slabs

Abstract

Bridges take a very important part in civil engineering, due to their usage in the transposition of obstacles. There is great difficulty in the calculation of bending moments in slabs because of the need to analyze the most unfavorable position of moving loads through influence surfaces. This is solved with programs using the Finite Element Method, which, unfortunately, requires much time and knowledge. However, the use of Rüsch tables can simplify this process and consequently expedite the determination of moment. Given the absence of an application using this simple method, the work is focused on its development in order to assist engineers and students in optimizing designs and preventing errors. The software in question is called TRüsch, which was developed in Java with a simple interface and has an easy understand system. From the data entered by the user and the NBR 7188 vehicles TB-450 or TB-240, a table, the moments due to the live and dead loads and their respective diagrams are displayed. The TRüsch application for the calculation of isolated slabs allows for the obtaining of satisfactory results with much more agility and convenience. © 2016 Taylor & Francis Group, London.