STEEL SPAN WEIGHT CURVES STEEL BRIDGE RESOURCE

STEEL SPAN WEIGHT CURVES STEEL BRIDGE RESOURCE

AISC 216 by American Institute of Steel Construction All rights reserved. This book or any part thereof must not be reproduced in any form without the written permission of the publisher. The AISC and NSBA logos are registered trademarks of AISC. The information presented in this publication has been prepared in accordance with recognized engineering principles. While it is believed to be accurate, this information should not be used or relied upon for any specific application without competent professional examination and verification of its accuracy, suitability and applicability by a licensed professional engineer, designer, or architect. The publication of the material contained herein is not intended as a representation or warranty on the part of the American Institute of Steel Construction or of any other person named herein, that this information is suitable for any general or particular use or of freedom from infringement of any patent or patents. Anyone making use of this information assumes all liability arising from such use. Caution must be exercised when relying upon other specifications and codes developed by other bodies and incorporated by reference herein since such material may be modified or amended from time to time subsequent to the printing of this edition. The American Institute of Steel Construction bears no responsibility for such material other than to refer to it and incorporate it by reference at the time of the initial publication of this edition. Printed in the United States of America

STEEL SPAN WEIGHT CURVES The National Steel Bridge Alliance strives to deliver high quality information for use by departments of transportation and designers alike. To that end, NSBA has created a series of steel bridge design resources. The information in these resources was developed by NSBA staff in conjunction with industry professionals. The resources are intended to serve as a starting point for steel bridge design. Steel Span Weight Curves is the first of these design aids. We plan to periodically update and refine the information in these resources based on the feedback we receive from designers, owners and constructors. NSBA is proud of the steel bridge industry and looks forward to maintaining its tradition of excellence in steel bridge construction. Bill McEleney Managing Director National Steel Bridge Alliance

About the Span Curves These graphical design aids are intended to be used during the preliminary phases of design for evaluation of alternative structures to quickly determine the relative costs of various girder spacings and number of girder spans. The curves have been constructed from cost-effective conceptual solutions that NSBA has prepared. They represent the predicted pounds of steel per square foot for various span lengths and girder spacings for single spans, two spans, and three or more spans. Design Parameters These curves represent predicted pounds of steel per square foot derived from data from more than 8 NSBA conceptual solutions optimized for economical bridge designs. Every bridge is unique and other factors can influence the design, resulting in values outside the ranges shown in these curves. Care should be taken to ensure that an appropriate analysis is conducted. The figure below represents a typical bridge section view. OVERALL BRIDGE WIDTH PARAPET WIDTH SHOULDER TOTAL LANE(S) WIDTH SHOULDER PARAPET WIDTH BRIDGE DECK WEARING SURFACE BRIDGE GIRDER (TYP) OVERHANG (VARIES) GIRDER SPACING (VARIES) OVERHANG (VARIES) TYPICAL BRIDGE SECTION N.T.S. Assumptions Section is designed as composite. Girders are assumed continuous. Design considers fatigue loading. Span lengths are based upon the maximum span distance. Where more than one span exists, use the maximum span to determine span weight. Trend line value represents the line of best fit based upon the discrete values. Shaded area represents deck areas in which 68% of the sample bridges are located. Both curved and straight girders are included in the curves. NSBA STEEL SPAN WEIGHT CURVES 1

Single-Span Bridges 16 Single Span All Girder Spacing 14 Steel weight per square foot of bridge deck surface (psf) 12 1 8 6 4 2 5 75 1 125 15 175 2 225 25 275 3 325 35 16 Single Span 7' to 9' Girder Spacing 14 Steel weight per square foot of bridge deck surface (psf) 12 1 8 6 4 2 5 75 1 125 15 175 2 225 25 275 3 325 35 2 NSBA STEEL SPAN WEIGHT CURVES

Single-Span Bridges Single Span 9' to 11' Girder Spacing Steel weight per square foot of bridge deck surface (psf) 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 5 75 1 125 15 175 2 225 25 275 Steel weight per square foot of bridge deck surface (psf) 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 Single Span 11' and Greater Girder Spacing 1 125 15 175 2 225 25 275 NSBA STEEL SPAN WEIGHT CURVES 3

Two-Span Bridges Two Span All Girder Spacing 12 1 8 6 4 2 5 75 1 125 15 175 2 225 25 275 3 325 35 Two Span 7' to 9' Girder Spacing 6 5 4 3 2 1 5 75 1 125 15 175 4 NSBA STEEL SPAN WEIGHT CURVES

Two-Span Bridges Two Span 9' to 11' Girder Spacing 6 5 4 3 2 1 5 75 1 125 15 175 2 225 Two Span 11' and Greater Girder Spacing 6 5 4 3 2 1 5 75 1 125 15 175 2 225 NSBA STEEL SPAN WEIGHT CURVES 5

Three-or-More-Span Bridges Three or More Spans All Girder Spacing 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 5 75 1 11 115 125 135 15 165 175 2 22 23 25 275 3 325 35 4 45 Three or More Spans 7' to 9' Girder Spacing 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 5 75 1 125 135 15 175 2 23 25 275 3 6 NSBA STEEL SPAN WEIGHT CURVES

Three-or-More-Span Bridges Three or More Spans 9' to 11' Girder Spacing 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 5 75 1 11 125 135 15 165 175 2 22 25 275 3 325 35 375 Three or More Spans 11' and Greater Girder Spacing 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 1 125 135 15 165 175 2 22 23 25 275 3 325 35 425 45 NSBA STEEL SPAN WEIGHT CURVES 7

Steel: The Bridge Material of Choice. National Steel Bridge Alliance (a division of American Institute of Steel Construction) One East Wacker Drive, Suite 7 Chicago, Illinois 661 312.67.24 www.steelbridges.org NSBA-21