Introductory Remarks
The determination of internal stresses or forces existing
in bridge structures subjected to externally applied loads is
generally called load distribution. This thesis presents a
method for the complete determination of load distribution in
simply supported concrete box girder highway bridges. In
addition, the method is used for a comprehensive study of the
behavior of these structures with geometrical configurations
representing the majority of commonly built box girder bridges.
Other procedures are currently available for the determination
of load distribution in the class of structures
studied (10,11,12). However, these procedures are complex
and require considerable computer programming and operation
time for the complete determination of load distribution in
box girder bridge structures. In addition, the description of
a box girder structure which is to be analyzed by presently
available means requires the description of the specific geometric
and elastic properties of the individual elements that
make up the complete structure. Thus, a behavioral study of a
number of structures encompassing a wide range of possible geometric
configurations becomes complex and costly when the
existing methods of analysis are used. The study presented
herein was undertaken to provide a relatively simple, accurate.
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and rapid method for the determination of load distribution in
box girder bridges and to study the behavior of commonly built
structures of this type.