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Steel Construction Published the List of Highly Influential Articles of 2020
Current Issue
2025 Vol. 40, No. 4
Display Method:
2025, 40(4): 1-7.
doi: 10.13206/j.gjgS24011001
Abstract
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Abstract:
This paper provides a detailed analysis of the history and technological evolution of the Bailey Bridge. Originally invented for military engineering units during early World War II， the Bailey Bridge is renowned for its simple structure， rapid deployment and erection， and excellent modularity. Since its inception in 1942， the bridge has played a crucial role in various battlefields and has seen extensive applications and technological advancements post-WWII. The paper delves into the technical evolution including truss combination， transoms， and deck systems， accompanied by design parameters at each stage. With continuous improvements and upgrades， the Bailey Bridge has expanded from military usage to civilian applications， standing as a pivotal technology in modern bridge engineering. Bailey bridges are often employed to replace bridges damaged by earthquakes， floods， or hurricanes， and act as temporary structures during construction.
This paper provides a detailed analysis of the history and technological evolution of the Bailey Bridge. Originally invented for military engineering units during early World War II， the Bailey Bridge is renowned for its simple structure， rapid deployment and erection， and excellent modularity. Since its inception in 1942， the bridge has played a crucial role in various battlefields and has seen extensive applications and technological advancements post-WWII. The paper delves into the technical evolution including truss combination， transoms， and deck systems， accompanied by design parameters at each stage. With continuous improvements and upgrades， the Bailey Bridge has expanded from military usage to civilian applications， standing as a pivotal technology in modern bridge engineering. Bailey bridges are often employed to replace bridges damaged by earthquakes， floods， or hurricanes， and act as temporary structures during construction.
2025, 40(4): 8-13.
doi: 10.13206/j.gjgSS24070202
Abstract:
The distinctive feature of the upper steel structure project of the Emei Nanshan Bridge is that the curved steel columns on both sides of the bridge are skewed. Two single-layer diagonal lattice shells are formed along the bridge’s axis， and the two are connected through trusses and steel beams， forming a unique space steel structure in the direction perpendicular to the bridge’s axis. On this basis， the hyperbolic roof shape was designed through two single-layer lattice shells and two "catenary beams" to meet the design requirements of the scheme. For the lower "X" shaped curved column， ABAQUS CAE was used to conduct an overall stability analysis， and it was concluded that the structure met the overall stability requirements； MIDAS Gen was then used to conduct component section design using the direct analysis method. For the roof "catenary beam" structure， a strength stress analysis under positive wind pressures and a stability analysis under negative wind pressures were conducted， and it was concluded that the "catenary beam" met the structural design requirements. For the intersecting joints of square steel pipes， ABAQUS CAE software was used to analyze the ultimate bearing capacity of the intersecting joints， and the existing test results were used to verify the finite element analysis method. The ultimate bearing capacity of the joints was 2.2 times the design value of the most unfavorable load， which met the design requirements.
The distinctive feature of the upper steel structure project of the Emei Nanshan Bridge is that the curved steel columns on both sides of the bridge are skewed. Two single-layer diagonal lattice shells are formed along the bridge’s axis， and the two are connected through trusses and steel beams， forming a unique space steel structure in the direction perpendicular to the bridge’s axis. On this basis， the hyperbolic roof shape was designed through two single-layer lattice shells and two "catenary beams" to meet the design requirements of the scheme. For the lower "X" shaped curved column， ABAQUS CAE was used to conduct an overall stability analysis， and it was concluded that the structure met the overall stability requirements； MIDAS Gen was then used to conduct component section design using the direct analysis method. For the roof "catenary beam" structure， a strength stress analysis under positive wind pressures and a stability analysis under negative wind pressures were conducted， and it was concluded that the "catenary beam" met the structural design requirements. For the intersecting joints of square steel pipes， ABAQUS CAE software was used to analyze the ultimate bearing capacity of the intersecting joints， and the existing test results were used to verify the finite element analysis method. The ultimate bearing capacity of the joints was 2.2 times the design value of the most unfavorable load， which met the design requirements.
2025, 40(4): 14-23.
doi: 10.13206/j.gjgSS24091101
Abstract:
The bridge crossing Heng-Gang-Sha of the Shanghai-Suzhou-Nantong Yangtze River Highway and Railway Bridge is a simply-supported steel truss girder bridge with 21 spans of 112 m（between Piers No.5 and No.26）. The superstructure of the bridge is a structure of three-main-truss. The bridge was constructed by the method of “from continuous to simply-supported with free cantilever erection”. To ensure the safety of cantilever assembly construction， and the internal forces in the installation of highway bridge decks and railway through girders meet the design requirements，a finite element model of the completed bridge was developed in MIDAS for the whole construction process analysis.The construction control was conducted by using the allowable stress method. During the single cantilever erection， the full scaffolding was installed between Piers No.10 and No.11， and then the bridge deck crane was used to assemble the cantilever of Piers No.5 and No.19， respectively， the 1100 t·m tower crane was used to install the bracket support near Pier No.22. After installing the steel truss between two segments on both the north and south sides of the top of Pier No.22 and making temporary connections at the pier cap， synchronized double-cantilever erection proceeded toward Piers No.26（south） and No.19（north）. During the construction， the girder truss crane for bridge decks was set between Piers No.10 and No.11. After the conversion of the hanging steel truss girder from continuous to simply-supported system， the lifting and installation of the highway bridge decks and railway through girders began simultaneously， along with the construction of wet joints. Both the maximum axial pressure and maximum compressive stress of the steel truss beam met the design requirements； the implementation of lateral restraint devices ensured compliance with crosswind stability requirements； by elevating the pier top to a specified height，the height of the construction modes of "1 + 1"， "2 + 1"， and “3+1” met the construction requirements， while the peak stress under the maximum cantilever met the design and specification requirements. After the installation of decks and through girders， the maximum mid-span displacement of the steel truss girder was approximately 50 mm， meeting the specification and design requirements.By adopting a series of construction control measures such as pier-top limit control， pier scheme control， temporary connection parts of pier-top control， and emergency control of extreme wind conditions， the safe erection of the large steel truss girders across the Shanghai-Suzhou-Nantong Yangtze River Highway and Railway Bridge was effectively guaranteed.
The bridge crossing Heng-Gang-Sha of the Shanghai-Suzhou-Nantong Yangtze River Highway and Railway Bridge is a simply-supported steel truss girder bridge with 21 spans of 112 m（between Piers No.5 and No.26）. The superstructure of the bridge is a structure of three-main-truss. The bridge was constructed by the method of “from continuous to simply-supported with free cantilever erection”. To ensure the safety of cantilever assembly construction， and the internal forces in the installation of highway bridge decks and railway through girders meet the design requirements，a finite element model of the completed bridge was developed in MIDAS for the whole construction process analysis.The construction control was conducted by using the allowable stress method. During the single cantilever erection， the full scaffolding was installed between Piers No.10 and No.11， and then the bridge deck crane was used to assemble the cantilever of Piers No.5 and No.19， respectively， the 1100 t·m tower crane was used to install the bracket support near Pier No.22. After installing the steel truss between two segments on both the north and south sides of the top of Pier No.22 and making temporary connections at the pier cap， synchronized double-cantilever erection proceeded toward Piers No.26（south） and No.19（north）. During the construction， the girder truss crane for bridge decks was set between Piers No.10 and No.11. After the conversion of the hanging steel truss girder from continuous to simply-supported system， the lifting and installation of the highway bridge decks and railway through girders began simultaneously， along with the construction of wet joints. Both the maximum axial pressure and maximum compressive stress of the steel truss beam met the design requirements； the implementation of lateral restraint devices ensured compliance with crosswind stability requirements； by elevating the pier top to a specified height，the height of the construction modes of "1 + 1"， "2 + 1"， and “3+1” met the construction requirements， while the peak stress under the maximum cantilever met the design and specification requirements. After the installation of decks and through girders， the maximum mid-span displacement of the steel truss girder was approximately 50 mm， meeting the specification and design requirements.By adopting a series of construction control measures such as pier-top limit control， pier scheme control， temporary connection parts of pier-top control， and emergency control of extreme wind conditions， the safe erection of the large steel truss girders across the Shanghai-Suzhou-Nantong Yangtze River Highway and Railway Bridge was effectively guaranteed.
2025, 40(4): 24-31.
doi: 10.13206/j.gjgS24010901
Abstract:
As a typical flexible structure， inflatable membranes require cable net reinforcement to ensure the stiffness and stability of the structure. However， in the design process of cable net reinforced membrane structures， the stiffening cable nets and membrane surface are usually simplified as direct connections， ignoring the problem of tight adhesion between cables and membranes. This simplified approach brings certain hidden dangers to the design safety of membrane structures. Studying the generation and optimization methods of inflatable membrane cable nets is crucial for solving the problem of cable slip and improving the stiffness and bearing capacity of membrane structures. Therefore， this paper proposes a cable segment generation method based on thermal stress finite element and an automatic cable net layout optimization method. The cable segment generation method utilizes the thermal stress finite element method to generate geodesic lines on the membrane surface. The cable segments arranged along the geodesic lines can fit more tightly with the membrane surface， thereby solving the cable-membrane slip problem and ensuring the safety and reliability of the structure. On the basis of the cable segment generation method， the membrane surface cable nets are arranged in an oblique form for load analysis of membrane structure cases. Two optimization layout methods， namely local cable net optimization layout and uniform layout， are proposed to address issues such as the need to adjust local spacing and uneven overall force distribution of the cable nets. Taking the rectangular plane long-span inflatable membrane structure as an example， the cable net layout and optimization methods were elaborated in detail， and different optimization schemes were compared.1） A stress performance analysis was conducted on the inflatable membrane structure （Scheme I） obtained by using the cable mesh arrangement method and the traditional cable net membrane structure， including the axial force distribution of the cable nets and the stress distribution on the membrane surface of both. 2） For Scheme I， local cable net optimization and a uniform layout were used to obtain Schemes Ⅱ and Ⅲ， and the differences and advantages in stress performance between the two schemes and Scheme I were analyzed. 3） Based on the advantages of two optimization layout methods， a combined optimization scheme featuring sparse intermediate cable nets and densely arranged edge cable nets was proposed on the basis of Schemes Ⅱ and Ⅲ to obtain Scheme Ⅳ. The various force indicators of the cable nets and membrane surfaces of the four schemes were statistically analyzed.
The research results indicated that：1） the maximum axial forces of the two cable nets were concentrated at the diagonal position of the cable nets， and the axial force of the cable segment in the traditional diagonal cable net was much greater than that in Scheme I， indicating that the proposed cable net layout method has made certain optimization and improvement compared to the traditional method； 2） the local optimization layout method effectively improved the situation of excessive local stress on the cable net， but its effects on the membrane surface stress and deformation were not significant； the uniform arrangement method improved the overall stress situation of the cable net， but it would increase the stress on local cable segments and membrane surfaces， and the effects on the membrane surface deformation were not significant； 3） the new optimized layout scheme simultaneously achieved the dual objectives of reducing the amount of steel used in the cable net and improving its stress situation， proving the feasibility of this optimization scheme.
As a typical flexible structure， inflatable membranes require cable net reinforcement to ensure the stiffness and stability of the structure. However， in the design process of cable net reinforced membrane structures， the stiffening cable nets and membrane surface are usually simplified as direct connections， ignoring the problem of tight adhesion between cables and membranes. This simplified approach brings certain hidden dangers to the design safety of membrane structures. Studying the generation and optimization methods of inflatable membrane cable nets is crucial for solving the problem of cable slip and improving the stiffness and bearing capacity of membrane structures. Therefore， this paper proposes a cable segment generation method based on thermal stress finite element and an automatic cable net layout optimization method. The cable segment generation method utilizes the thermal stress finite element method to generate geodesic lines on the membrane surface. The cable segments arranged along the geodesic lines can fit more tightly with the membrane surface， thereby solving the cable-membrane slip problem and ensuring the safety and reliability of the structure. On the basis of the cable segment generation method， the membrane surface cable nets are arranged in an oblique form for load analysis of membrane structure cases. Two optimization layout methods， namely local cable net optimization layout and uniform layout， are proposed to address issues such as the need to adjust local spacing and uneven overall force distribution of the cable nets. Taking the rectangular plane long-span inflatable membrane structure as an example， the cable net layout and optimization methods were elaborated in detail， and different optimization schemes were compared.1） A stress performance analysis was conducted on the inflatable membrane structure （Scheme I） obtained by using the cable mesh arrangement method and the traditional cable net membrane structure， including the axial force distribution of the cable nets and the stress distribution on the membrane surface of both. 2） For Scheme I， local cable net optimization and a uniform layout were used to obtain Schemes Ⅱ and Ⅲ， and the differences and advantages in stress performance between the two schemes and Scheme I were analyzed. 3） Based on the advantages of two optimization layout methods， a combined optimization scheme featuring sparse intermediate cable nets and densely arranged edge cable nets was proposed on the basis of Schemes Ⅱ and Ⅲ to obtain Scheme Ⅳ. The various force indicators of the cable nets and membrane surfaces of the four schemes were statistically analyzed.
The research results indicated that：1） the maximum axial forces of the two cable nets were concentrated at the diagonal position of the cable nets， and the axial force of the cable segment in the traditional diagonal cable net was much greater than that in Scheme I， indicating that the proposed cable net layout method has made certain optimization and improvement compared to the traditional method； 2） the local optimization layout method effectively improved the situation of excessive local stress on the cable net， but its effects on the membrane surface stress and deformation were not significant； the uniform arrangement method improved the overall stress situation of the cable net， but it would increase the stress on local cable segments and membrane surfaces， and the effects on the membrane surface deformation were not significant； 3） the new optimized layout scheme simultaneously achieved the dual objectives of reducing the amount of steel used in the cable net and improving its stress situation， proving the feasibility of this optimization scheme.
2025, 40(4): 32-41.
doi: 10.13206/j.gjgS24052202
Abstract:
Because of the increase of crane tonnage and operation frequency， the circumferential void defects of concrete-filled steel tubular（CFST） four-limb latticed columns in heavy industrial plants will occur. In order to study the lateral resistance of CFST four-limb latticed columns with circumferential void defects， the effects of different circumferential void ratios， column top’s void heights， numbers of columns with void defects， and axial compression ratios on the lateral bearing capacity and stiffness of the four-limb columns with circumferential void defects were studied by using the finite element analysis software ABAQUS. The results showed that the presence of circumferential void defects reduced the lateral bearing capacity and stiffness of CFST four-limb latticed columns. When the circumferential void ratio was 1%， the lateral bearing capacity and stiffness of the latticed columns decreased by 3.84% and 7.3%， respectively. The lateral bearing capacity and stiffness of latticed columns decreased with the increase of circumferential void ratio. The mechanical properties of CFST four-limb latticed columns were degraded more significantly under the combined action of circumferential voids and column top voids. When the circumferential void ratio was 0.1% and the column top's void height was 20 mm， the lateral bearing capacity and stiffness of the latticed columns decreased by 20.49% and 29.49%， respectively.With the increase of column limbs and axial compression ratio， circumferential void defects had a greater effect on the degradation of mechanical properties of CFST latticed columns. When the circumferential void ratio was 0.1% and the number of limbs was 4， the lateral bearing capacity and stiffness of the latticed columns decreased by 12.38% and 29.22%， respectively. When the circumferential void ratio was 0.1% and the axial compression ratio was 0.33， the lateral bearing capacity and stiffness of the latticed columnd decreased by 31.75% and 24.71%， respectively.
Because of the increase of crane tonnage and operation frequency， the circumferential void defects of concrete-filled steel tubular（CFST） four-limb latticed columns in heavy industrial plants will occur. In order to study the lateral resistance of CFST four-limb latticed columns with circumferential void defects， the effects of different circumferential void ratios， column top’s void heights， numbers of columns with void defects， and axial compression ratios on the lateral bearing capacity and stiffness of the four-limb columns with circumferential void defects were studied by using the finite element analysis software ABAQUS. The results showed that the presence of circumferential void defects reduced the lateral bearing capacity and stiffness of CFST four-limb latticed columns. When the circumferential void ratio was 1%， the lateral bearing capacity and stiffness of the latticed columns decreased by 3.84% and 7.3%， respectively. The lateral bearing capacity and stiffness of latticed columns decreased with the increase of circumferential void ratio. The mechanical properties of CFST four-limb latticed columns were degraded more significantly under the combined action of circumferential voids and column top voids. When the circumferential void ratio was 0.1% and the column top's void height was 20 mm， the lateral bearing capacity and stiffness of the latticed columns decreased by 20.49% and 29.49%， respectively.With the increase of column limbs and axial compression ratio， circumferential void defects had a greater effect on the degradation of mechanical properties of CFST latticed columns. When the circumferential void ratio was 0.1% and the number of limbs was 4， the lateral bearing capacity and stiffness of the latticed columns decreased by 12.38% and 29.22%， respectively. When the circumferential void ratio was 0.1% and the axial compression ratio was 0.33， the lateral bearing capacity and stiffness of the latticed columnd decreased by 31.75% and 24.71%， respectively.
2025, 40(4): 42-48.
doi: 10.13206/j.gjgS24032901
Abstract:
Due to the advantages of reasonable stress performance， light weight， high strength， and beautiful structural form， long-span space structures have been widely used in many stadiums， exhibition halls， assembly halls， and other buildings. As a large-scale civil building， Dalian Suoyuwan Football Stadium features a cable-truss structure with a four-center circle in plan. Its upper chords are obliquely crossed， while the lower chords follow a radial layout. Compared with conventional spoke-type cable-truss structures， the football stadium system demonstrates improved in-plane stiffness and overall torsional resistance. Because of its complex structure， the lower loop cable needs to fix 8 cables and other lower-chord radial cable members. To meet the requirements， a 125-mm-diameter plate press-fit cable clamp joint with six high-strength bolts was designed. Two experimental studies were carried out on the designed cable clamp joint. The paper investigated the tightening force loss of high-strength bolts during cable tensioning and the ultimate anti-slip capacity of the joint under cable clamp jacking conditions. Firstly， the cable clamp joint was assembled and left undisturbed for 24 hours. Then， the cable was tensioned in three stages up to 50% of its breaking load， followed by the cable clamp jacking until significant sliding occurred. The entire process was monitored in real time for high-strength bolt tightening force changes， cable diameter changes， and cable clamp displacement changes. The results showed that the tightening force of high-strength bolts was lost by 11% due to the time effect. The high-strength bolts experienced a 17.8% tightening force loss due to the reduction of the diameter of the tension cable when the cable was tensioned in the second step. During the third-step cable clamp jacking， the first inflection point of the displacement-jacking force curve was taken as the limit value of anti-slip capacity， and the anti-slip capacity value of the cable clamp joint was determined as 500 kN. The friction coefficient between the cable clamp channel and the cable body was 0.165 by introduing the anti-slip capacity formula. The tightening torque value and anti-slip capacity value of high-strength bolts obtained by the test can be used as the design basis for plate press-fit cable clamp joints， providing a solid theoretical basis for on-site installation monitoring and construction.
Due to the advantages of reasonable stress performance， light weight， high strength， and beautiful structural form， long-span space structures have been widely used in many stadiums， exhibition halls， assembly halls， and other buildings. As a large-scale civil building， Dalian Suoyuwan Football Stadium features a cable-truss structure with a four-center circle in plan. Its upper chords are obliquely crossed， while the lower chords follow a radial layout. Compared with conventional spoke-type cable-truss structures， the football stadium system demonstrates improved in-plane stiffness and overall torsional resistance. Because of its complex structure， the lower loop cable needs to fix 8 cables and other lower-chord radial cable members. To meet the requirements， a 125-mm-diameter plate press-fit cable clamp joint with six high-strength bolts was designed. Two experimental studies were carried out on the designed cable clamp joint. The paper investigated the tightening force loss of high-strength bolts during cable tensioning and the ultimate anti-slip capacity of the joint under cable clamp jacking conditions. Firstly， the cable clamp joint was assembled and left undisturbed for 24 hours. Then， the cable was tensioned in three stages up to 50% of its breaking load， followed by the cable clamp jacking until significant sliding occurred. The entire process was monitored in real time for high-strength bolt tightening force changes， cable diameter changes， and cable clamp displacement changes. The results showed that the tightening force of high-strength bolts was lost by 11% due to the time effect. The high-strength bolts experienced a 17.8% tightening force loss due to the reduction of the diameter of the tension cable when the cable was tensioned in the second step. During the third-step cable clamp jacking， the first inflection point of the displacement-jacking force curve was taken as the limit value of anti-slip capacity， and the anti-slip capacity value of the cable clamp joint was determined as 500 kN. The friction coefficient between the cable clamp channel and the cable body was 0.165 by introduing the anti-slip capacity formula. The tightening torque value and anti-slip capacity value of high-strength bolts obtained by the test can be used as the design basis for plate press-fit cable clamp joints， providing a solid theoretical basis for on-site installation monitoring and construction.
2025, 40(4): 49-54.
doi: 10.13206/j.gjgS24033101
Abstract:
In order to solve the problem of insufficient research on the engineering application of Q500 high-strength steel tubes， this paper conducted the material performance test and welding process research， the results showed that： after cold processing of Q500qD steel plates， the yield strength and tensile strength increased to 585-591 MPa and 700-715 MPa， respectively， the yield ratio increased to 0.82-0.84， while the ductility decreased. The impact energy （219-233 J at -20 ℃） met the requirements of High Strength Low Alloy Structural Steels （GB/T 1591-2018）， indicating good toughness after cold working. When T624T1-1C1A-N3M1 welding wires were used for the same steel butt welding， the tensile strength of the weld met the standard requirements， and the fracture occurred in the weld， which verified the validity of the yield strength matching principle. The tensile strength and impact power of Q500qD and Q355B dissimilar steel welded joints met the requirements of Code for Welding of Steel Structures （GB/T 50661-2011）. The research showed that the yield ratio of high-strength steel increased with the increase of the grade. It is suggested that the steel plate used in building structure should be preferred in the project， the welding parameters should be optimized （the same steel should be matched according to yield， and the dissimilar steel should be strengthened according to tensile strength） to ensure the safety and reliability of the structure.
In order to solve the problem of insufficient research on the engineering application of Q500 high-strength steel tubes， this paper conducted the material performance test and welding process research， the results showed that： after cold processing of Q500qD steel plates， the yield strength and tensile strength increased to 585-591 MPa and 700-715 MPa， respectively， the yield ratio increased to 0.82-0.84， while the ductility decreased. The impact energy （219-233 J at -20 ℃） met the requirements of High Strength Low Alloy Structural Steels （GB/T 1591-2018）， indicating good toughness after cold working. When T624T1-1C1A-N3M1 welding wires were used for the same steel butt welding， the tensile strength of the weld met the standard requirements， and the fracture occurred in the weld， which verified the validity of the yield strength matching principle. The tensile strength and impact power of Q500qD and Q355B dissimilar steel welded joints met the requirements of Code for Welding of Steel Structures （GB/T 50661-2011）. The research showed that the yield ratio of high-strength steel increased with the increase of the grade. It is suggested that the steel plate used in building structure should be preferred in the project， the welding parameters should be optimized （the same steel should be matched according to yield， and the dissimilar steel should be strengthened according to tensile strength） to ensure the safety and reliability of the structure.
2025, 40(4): 55-58.
doi: 10.13206/j.gjgS24070820
Abstract:
Analysis was conducted on the stress and deflection calculations of circularly curved beams in civil buildings under uniformly distributed loads. Formulas were proposed based on straight beam formulas but modified to agree with the results of curved beams. The proposed equations are applicable to beams with subtended angles ≤ 30°， where the upper flange is connected to a reinforced concrete slab， ensuring composite action between the steel beam and slab， and the upper flange exhibits negligible lateral displacement. Comparisons with exact solutions showed that the proposed formulas were on the safe side， particularly when the subtended angle was 15°.
Analysis was conducted on the stress and deflection calculations of circularly curved beams in civil buildings under uniformly distributed loads. Formulas were proposed based on straight beam formulas but modified to agree with the results of curved beams. The proposed equations are applicable to beams with subtended angles ≤ 30°， where the upper flange is connected to a reinforced concrete slab， ensuring composite action between the steel beam and slab， and the upper flange exhibits negligible lateral displacement. Comparisons with exact solutions showed that the proposed formulas were on the safe side， particularly when the subtended angle was 15°.
