Once you have a complete, stable , you must run a simulated to ensure that all of the in your design are strong enough to carry the prescribed in Design Specification 5.
To load test your design:
Click the .
Sit back and watch. The West Point Bridge Designer 2010 will
perform the load test, display the load test animation,
and update the load test status display.
Once the load test is complete, click the to return to the Drawing Board.
Notes and Tips
When you click the Load Test Mode button, the West Point Bridge Designer
2010 will automatically perform the following actions:
Create and supports at the appropriate locations in your structural model.
Calculate the weight of all members, and apply these to the structure as loads.
Calculate the weight of the bridge , , and (see Design Specification 5 for more
information), and apply the corresponding loads to the structure.
Apply the to the structure at multiple positions, representing the movement of the truck
across the bridge.
Check the structural model for stability. If
the structural model is unstable, the West Point Bridge Designer
2010 will attempt to fix the problem. If it is unsuccessful, it will stop the load
test, inform you of the problem, provide some suggestions for fixing it, and return you to
the Drawing Board.
Perform a , considering the combined effects of the bridge self-weight and truck loading.
For each truck position, calculate the of each joint and the for each member in the structural model.
For each member, compare the calculated member forces for all truck positions, and
determine the absolute maximum force and the absolute maximum force. These are the critical forces that determine whether or not a given member
is .
For each member, compare the absolute maximum tension force with the tensile strength, and
compare the absolute maximum compression force with the compressive strength. If the force
exceeds the strength in either case, the member is unsafe; if not, the member is safe.
To save time, you can run the load test without displaying the load test animation. Use the
to switch off the animation.
If you don't want the West Point Bridge Designer 2010 to attempt
to automatically fix an unstable structure, you can use the to switch off this feature.