The Influence of Skew Angles on Prestressed Bridges

Abstract

Prestressed concrete bridges are crucial in modern infrastructure due to their high durability, low maintenance requirements, and superior load-carrying capacity. However, skew bridges, which feature a non-perpendicular alignment with traffic flow, pose significant challenges in analysis and design. This study presents a comprehensive parametric investigation into the behaviour of prestressed skew bridges to enhance structural understanding and optimize design strategies. Advanced finite element techniques are utilized to analyse the effects of prestressing forces, material properties, and geometric parameters on skew bridges. The study evaluates key structural responses, including bending moments, shear forces, torsional effects, and deflections, under various loading conditions such as dead loads, moving loads, and prestressing loads, considering relevant IRC load combinations, including seismic effects. This research finds fifteen prestressed skew bridge models with varying spans and skew angles between 20° and 50°, analysed using MIDAS Civil software. Comparative results highlight the influence of skew angles on structural performance. The findings suggest that increased skewness significantly impacts torsional behaviour and bending moment distribution. With advancements in computational tools, precise estimation of structural responses is now possible, providing engineers with better insight into the design and analysis of prestressed skew bridges.