Plot traffic lanes across your deck surface. Select standard design vehicles (like HL-93 or Eurocode models) or input custom heavy-transport vehicles. Step 6: Set Up Load Cases and Combinations
: Define the horizontal and vertical alignment of the bridge. This serves as the "spine" for all subsequent components. Deck Sections
is an industry-leading software package developed by Computers and Structures, Inc. (CSI), specifically designed for the modeling, analysis, and design of both simple and complex bridge structures. It is tailored to meet the needs of bridge engineers, offering a fully integrated environment that streamlines the workflow from conceptual modeling to final design and retrofitting of steel and concrete bridges. csi bridge user manual
Because the CSiBridge User Manual is thousands of pages long, CSI provides it in several modular PDF volumes:
The foundational concept emphasized throughout the CSiBridge user manual is its . Unlike traditional finite element software where you manually draw every node and plate element, CSiBridge uses a top-down assembly method. Step 1: Layout Lines (The Alignment) Plot traffic lanes across your deck surface
Assign your previously defined to the Layout Line. Define span lengths by adding station data points. Step 3: Substructure (Abutments, Piers, and Bearings)
For seismic or high-clearance structures, the manual outlines non-linear analysis capabilities. This includes P-Delta effects, large displacement tracking, and plastic hinge definitions for concrete piers. 4. Code-Based Automated Design Capabilities This serves as the "spine" for all subsequent components
In addition to the integrated help, CSI provides a wealth of external documentation. For independent study, users can find versions of manuals such as the "Csi Bridge Analysis Reference Manual," which spans hundreds of pages covering fundamental analysis procedures. Dedicated manuals are also available for specific design tasks, such as modeling concrete box girder bridges and precast concrete girder bridges.
Detailed shell elements mapping the top slab, webs, and bottom slab.