Diseño óptimo de puentes bijácena de ámbito carretero

Abstract

Composite structures have not been able to compete in Spain, despite their many advantages, with more conventional prestressed concrete bridges in the lower range of medium spans (30-80 m.). Compared to the use of composite box sections in this range of spans, which are exposed to distortion and reductions of effective width in their flanges, twin-girder sections are revealed as a more competent typology because of its sobriety, ease of construction and good structural performance. In this context in which a global crisis has brutally beaten the engineering and public works industry, it is inescapable to rescue more sustainable typological systems, as twin-girder sections are. In order to promote their use by all the engineering community, an in-depth analysis of the twin-girder section is undertaken, involving a complete optimization for the deck. These conclusions crystallise in a series of design formulas that can evaluate the convenience of using twin-girder sections in each specific case.