Geometric modeling of box girder deck for integrated bridge graphical system

This paper presents a geometric modeling of box girder deck to automate deck design representations. A geometric methodology was developed and implemented in a computer program. This software allows the geometric description of the deck, using bridge design data usually given at the conceptual stage, and the automation of several drawings and three-dimensional (3D) models, defined accurately. Using traditional graphical system, the execution of deck specific drawings is extremely time-consuming, the 3D deck model gives an approximation only of the exterior shape of the deck and the 3D finite elements (FE) mesh generation software imposes geometric simplifications on the real configuration of the deck before discretization. The computer application provides an important toot to the bridge designer, particularly at the conceptual stage, as it allows aesthetic and structural evaluation of the bridge at an early stage in the design. The geometric modeling process and graphical results of a case-study are presented. (C) 2003 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.