Analysis of Some Skew Bridges as Right Bridges

Those methods of bridge analysis that are developed basically for right bridges are also sometimes used for analyzing (skew bridges provided that the angle of skew is less than 20°. A critical review of this practice is presented in this paper, which also contains a recommended procedure for obtaining longitudinal moments with good accuracy in skew slab‐on‐girder bridges by this practice. It is shown that the errors in analyzing skew slab‐on‐girder bridges as right are not characterized by the angle of skew but by two dimensionless parameters, which depend upon the angle of skew, the spacing and span of girders, and their flexural rigidities relative to the flexural rigidity of the deck slab. Recommendations are given for the use of the simplified methods of analysis for skew slab‐on‐girder bridges. It is proposed that bridges having (S tan ϕ/L) less than 0.05 can be analyzed as equivalent right bridges, where S, L, and ϕ are the girder spacing, bridge span, and angle of skew, respectively.