Pratt Truss Bridge
Application ID: 8511
This example is inspired by a classic bridge type called a Pratt truss bridge. You can identify a Pratt truss by its diagonal members, which (except for the outermost ones) all slant down in span-wise direction towards the bridge’s center. All the diagonal members are subject to tension forces only, while the shorter vertical members handle the compressive forces. Since there is no buckling risk in the tension-loaded diagonal members, they can be thinner resulting in an overall more economic design.
A truss structure supports only tension and compression forces in its members and you would normally model it using bars, but as this model uses 3D beams it can also to some extent sustain bending moments in the frame structure. In the model, shell elements represent the roadway.
This model example illustrates applications of this type that would nominally be built using the following products:
however, additional products may be required to completely define and model it. Furthermore, this example may also be defined and modeled using components from the following product combinations:
The combination of COMSOL® products required to model your application depends on several factors and may include boundary conditions, material properties, physics interfaces, and part libraries. Particular functionality may be common to several products. To determine the right combination of products for your modeling needs, review the Specification Chart and make use of a free evaluation license. The COMSOL Sales and Support teams are available for answering any questions you may have regarding this.