PGSuper 7.0
Precast-prestressed Girder Bridges
Advanced Geometry Features

This tutorial will highlight many of the advanced geometric modeling capabilities available in PGSuper. These capabilities include:

  • Complex roadway geometry including multiple horizontal curves with transition spirals
  • Complex alignment profiles including multiple, non-symmetric vertical curves
  • Complex superelevation transitions including multiple crown point offsets
  • Flared (non-parallel) girders
  • Tapered deck edges with spline transitions
  • Different girder spacing at each end of a span
  • Different number of girders in each span
  • Different girder spacing on either side of a pier
  • Different types of girders within a bridge

Example Bridge 1

The bridge we will be modeling has 3 - 80ft spans.

  • Abutment 1 is located at station 1+20.
  • Span 1 has 5-WF58G girders at 6'-0".
  • Span 2 has 4-WF58G girders spaced at 8'-0" at the centerline of pier 2 and 6'-0" at the centerline of pier 3.
  • Span 3 has 4-WF58G girders spaced at 6'-0".

The bridge deck is 31 ft (16' on left and 15' on right of CL bridge) wide at pier 2 and 24.5 ft (12.5' on left and 12' on right of CL bridge) wide at pier 3. The deck is a constant width, and parallels the alignment between Abutment 1 and Pier 2 and also between Pier 3 and Abutment 4. The deck edge is a spline taper between pier 2 and 3.

The bridge is on a curved portion of the alignment. The back tangent is N 90 E, the PI station is 5+00 with a delta of 25 L and Radius of 2000 ft.

Example Bridge 1 Tutorial

Example Bridge 2

The bridge in this example is has 3 spans consisting of 7-W42G girders. The configuration is

Alignment

Item Description
Initial Direction S 60 13 00 W
PI Station 45+46.40
Delta 98 23 00 R
Radius 424.41 ft

Profile

Item Description
PVI 47+75.00
PVI Elevation 53.04
Entry Grade 5.45%
Exit Grade 0.5%
Length 350 ft

Superelevations

Item Description
Station 47+33.70 Left Slope = 0.1ft/ft, Right Slope = -0.1ft/ft
Station 49+33.70 Left Slope = 0.02ft/ft, Right Slope = -0.02ft/ft

Bridge

Abutment 1

Location: Sta 47+40.99 Orientation: N 40 58 00 E

Between Girders Spacing
A-B 5'-3"
B-F 6'-0"
F-G 5'-6"

Pier 2

Location: 47+84.73 Orientation: N 40 58 00 E

Between Girders Spacing
A-B 6'-1.5"
B-F 6'-0"
F-G 6'-1.5"

Pier 3

Location: 48+53.21 Orientation: N 40 58 00 E

Between Girders Spacing
A-B 5'-7.5"
B-F 6'-0"
F-G 5'-7.5"

Abutment 4

Location: 49+17.14 Orientation: N 31 28 00 E

Between Girders Spacing
A-B 5'-7.5"
B-F 6'-9"
F-G 5'-7.5"

The girder spacing is measured along the centerline of bearing at the abutments and along the centerline of pier at the interior piers.

The deck width is 35'-9" at Station 47+83.70 and linearly tapers-a width of 33'-9" at station 49+17.17.

Example Bridge 2 Tutorial