SPECIAL FEATURES IN THE DESIGN OF BOX GIRDERS

THE AUTHOR DISCUSSES A NUMBER OF THE MAJOR PROBLEMS FACING DESIGNERS OF BOX GIRDER BRIDGES AS WELL AS METHODS BY WHICH THEY MAY BE SOLVED. SOME OF THE EXISTING STEEL DESIGN CODES ARE SURVEYED AND THE MAIN PROBLEMS INVOLVED IN MULTI- STIFFENED THIN WALLED STEEL STRUCTURES ARE DESCRIBED, TOGETHER WITH A PHILOSOPHY OF DESIGN METHOD. A FURTHER GENERAL ASPECT OF BOX GIRDER DESIGN RECEIVING BRIEF MENTION IS THE SUBJECT OF ERECTION, SINCE THIS FREQUENTLY MAY CAUSE STRESSES WELL IN EXCESS OF THOSE OCCURRING IN SERVICE. /TRRL/