Design of Highway Bridges: Based on AASHTO LRFD, Bridge Design Specifications

An up-to-date introduction to the theory and principles of highway bridge design

Design of Highway Bridges offers detailed coverage of engineering basics for the design of short- and medium-span bridges. Based on the new American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) LRFD Bridge Design Specifications, this comprehensive text is an excellent engineering resource. The book contains:
* A historical overview of bridge engineering
* Information on key bridge types, selection principles, and aesthetic issues
* An in-depth examination of design considerations-including limit states, load and resistance factors, and substructure design
* Separate chapters on concrete, steel, and timber structures
* System analysis procedures for gravity and lateral loads, plus influence functions and girder-line analysis
* Sample problems covering different bridge systems
* Selected references for further study, and more

Bridges are the lynchpin of the transportation network. They are expensive to build, and how well their design handles the parameters of strength, durability, capacity, and safety can determine the viability of the entire system.

Design of Highway Bridges provides a complete introduction to this important area of engineering, with comprehensive coverage of the theory, specifications, and procedures for the design of short- and medium-span bridges. Beginning with an overview of bridge engineering history, the book examines key bridge types, selection principles, and aesthetic considerations. Design issues are then discussed in detail, from limit states and loads to resistance factors and substructure design.

Up-to-date with the latest American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) LRFD Bridge Design Specifications and current system analysis techniques, the text features discrete coverage of concrete, steel, and timber structures. Selected sample problems and references are included to reinforce the concepts presented and give the material a real-world edge.

Whether you are aiming to gain quick familiarity with the new AASHTO guidelines or are seeking broader guidance on highway bridge design, this ready reference puts the information you need right at your fingertips.

RICHARD M. BARKER, PhD, PE, is Professor of Civil Engineering at Virginia Polytechnic Institute. A frequent consultant to contractors and design firms on bridge-related projects, he has over forty years of experience with highway bridges as a structural designer, project engineer, and teacher. Dr. Barker is a subconsultant to AASHTO on maintenance of the LRFD specifications and to FHWA on training course development for LRFD design of highway bridge substructures. He is a former member of the Code Coordinating Committee charged with the development of the AASHTO LRFD Bridge Design Specifications, and a former co-chairman of the task group for foundations and retaining walls. Dr. Barker serves on the editorial boards of the Structural Engineering Review and the Journal of Bridge Engineering.

JAY A. PUCKETT, PhD, PE, is Professor of Civil and Architectural Engineering at the University of Wyoming, and President of Bridge Tech, Inc., a consulting firm that specializes in software development for bridge engineering. With fifteen years of experience in bridge research and development, focusing on structural analysis, rating, and physical testing, he has developed software for the analysis and rating of bridge systems that is currently in use at over forty transportation agencies. Dr. Puckett is a consultant to AASHTO on their BridgeWare load rating and bridge design software, and was a consultant on the development of the AASHTO LRFD Bridge Design Specifications. He is an editor of the Journal of Bridge Engineering and serves on several ASCE committees related to bridges.