Modeling a deck bridge

[fechu]

Hello. I am trying to introduce a generic section to represent the bridge concrete deck, and thus able to use the program to make a pushover, but I'm not being capable.
I've read the help of your program and I thought of introducing it through an equivalent rectangular section where they have the bending and torsional stiffness equal to the original section. But not yet convinced. Could you recommend some other option?
Thank you very much
Maria Fernanda

[fbianchi]

Hi Maria Fernanda,

I read your post (as a SeismoStruct user I often "browse" the forum...) and I didn't found anything wrong with your approach. The use of an equivalent rectangular section for me it's ok. If your deck is assumed to behave elastically, you may also model it through an elastic frame element (elfrm): in this case you have to specify custom values of EA, EI2, EI3 and GJ.

Federica

[fechu]

Thanks! I will use that. [:D]