Influence Surfaces for Slab Bridges Using Finite Element Analysis

Abstract

Influence surfaces have proven to be very useful in analysis and design practices, particularly in situations where the design of plate-like elements is required. It is because these surfaces have proved themselves useful in the most unfavourable load positions on plate elements like slabs. Many researchers worked in this area established different ways to plot these surfaces. In this paper, finite element analysis is used for developing influence surfaces. The influence surfaces prepared using finite element analysis are found to match with Pucher charts which were prepared using deflection equations. Further, some example problems are solved using the influence surfaces thus developed and are compared with the results obtained using existing methods like the effective width method and the finite element analysis to understand the accuracy of the results.

Keywords: Influence surfaces; finite element method; slab bridges, effective width method, Pucher charts