PROPOSAL OF DESIGN PROCESS FOR SPECIAL BRIDGES TOWARD RATIONAL MAINTENANCE

Abstract

 It is not technically easy, because of a luck of standard specifications, manuals, and experiences, to design and maintain special bridges which accepts use of novel members and/or challengeable combination of several types of members in the same way as standard bridges. Therefore, new design concept considering appropriate maintenance scenario and maintenance plan in which structure properties of the bridges are strongly required. With this understanding, we have proposed the design process for special bridges. The proposed process consists of five steps, i.e., planning of the bridge, setting of damage control level, verifying structure performance, structural characteristics evaluation of the bridge, and maintenance planning. In this paper, basic way of thinking at each step is described through practice examples using special brides in Shin-Tomei expressway.