State-of-the-art review of structural behaviour of horizontally curved steel plate girders Available to Purchase

The construction of horizontally curved plate I-girder bridges used in modern highway systems has gained traction in recent decades, owing to their economic and aesthetic advantages. However, these girders are considered complex in their analysis, design and construction compared with straight girders. This paper highlights the most significant studies related to the behaviour of horizontally curved plate girders. The analysis and design of these girders, which are subjected to various loading types (i.e. shear, bending moment or a combination), are presented. The behaviours of these girders are also presented in terms of the effects of web corrugation, web stiffness, web opening, girder stiffness and cross-frame bracing. In addition, the investigations were extended to cover the behaviour of curved girders during construction. Remarks are provided concerning the published articles; they are reported in a comprehensive tabular format, listing the shape of the section and the parameters studied. This review reveals that studies are limited to evaluating the effect of fatigue load and perforated webs on the behaviour of curved girders. Limited research has been conducted to assess the behaviour of curved steel girders during construction, despite the fact that higher stresses can be induced during the erection procedure.