General Information

Figure 1 shows a cable stayed-bridge that is used by motorcycles, bicycles and pedestrians.

Cable-stayed bridge.
Cable-stayed bridge with castellated beams over a river.
Type Single-span cable-stayed bridge
Main span ≅ 100 m
Deck width ≅ 2 m
Girder Steel twin castellated I-girder
Pylon Reinforced concrete (A-longitudinal shaped)
Stay cable arrangement Radial (two cable planes)

Castellated I-Beams

Figure 2 shows a side view of a main span sector.

Main span.
Main span sector of a cable-stayed bridge with castellated beams.

The castellated I-beam has hexagonal openings. Figure 3 shows a schematic three-dimensional view of an I-beam and a castellated one.

I-beams.
Standard Castellated
Three dimensional drawing of an I-beam and a castellated I-beam.
  • For what kind of forces can the use of a castellated I-beam be structurally more efficient than a standard one? What are some possible reasons for using castellated I-beams for the above shown bridge?
  • Load Case

    Figure 4 shows a side view of a main span sector.

    Main span.
    Two rafts connected to the main span of a cable-stayed bridge.

    Two rafts are moored at the bridge by ropes. Figure 5 shows a rope to bridge connection.

    Rope to bridge connection.
    Connection between a raft and the main span of a cable-stayed bridge using a rope.

    Rope and castellated I-beam are connected by the road safety barrier. Figure 6 shows a schematic partial cross-section of the bridge.

    Cross-section.
    Cross section of a cable-stayed bridge with castellated I-beams.
  • Supposing a high river discharge and a strong wind, what kind of forces can be transferred from the rope to the castellated I-beam?