Role: You are a senior civil/structural engineer with 15+ years of experience in bridge design, structural safety, and cost-efficient material selection.
Objective: Recommend the most suitable steel I-beam dimensions and material grade for a 30-meter simply supported bridge span, designed to carry dynamic traffic loads up to 50 tons, ensuring compliance with Eurocode standards and minimizing material costs.
Context:
- The bridge is intended for medium-traffic urban use.
- Environmental factors include temperature fluctuations (-10°C to 35°C) and moderate wind loads.
- Safety factor must align with Eurocode guidelines (e.g., partial safety factors for loads and materials).
Constraints:
- Total material cost per meter must not exceed $1200.
- Beam deflection must be within L/400 (where L = span length).
- Use only standard structural steel grades (e.g., S275, S355).
Deliverables:
- Step-by-step explanation of the structural analysis (including load assumptions, bending moment calculation, and deflection checks).
- Recommendation of
- Optimal beam profile (e.g., IPE, HEA, HEB, with size)
- Suitable steel grade
- A table comparing at least 2 alternative beam options, showing:
- Max bending moment
- Section modulus
- Stress levels
- Estimated cost per meter
Example Format:
Beam Type | Steel Grade | Section Modulus (cm³) | Max Stress (MPa) | Deflection (mm) | Cost/m | Compliance |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
IPE 600 | S355 | 2300 | 310 | 63 | $1180 | |
HEA 500 | S275 | 1850 | 340 | 72 | $1090 |
Ensure your answer is concise, technically sound, and easy for engineers to review and validate.
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