Theoretical analysis of simply supported channel girder bridges

Channel girder bridges that consist of a deck slab and two side beams are good choices for railway bridges and urban rail transit bridges when the vertical clearance beneath the bridge is restricted. In this study, the behavior of simply supported channel girder bridges was theoretical studied based on the theory of elasticity. The accuracy of the theoretical solutions was verified by the finite element analysis. The global bending of the channel girder and the local bending of the deck slab are two contributors to the deformations and stresses of the channel girder. Because of the shear lag effect, the maximum deflection due to the global bending could be amplified by 1.0 to 1.2 times, and the effective width of the deck slab for determining the global bending stresses can be as small as 0.7 of the actual width depending on the width-tospan ratio of the channel girder. The maximum deflection and transversal stress due to the local bending are obtained at the girder ends. For the channel girders with open section side beams, the side beam twist has a negligible effect on the deflections and stresses of the channel girder. Simplified equations were also developed for calculating the maximum deformations and stresses.