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Free eSPAN140 Steel Bridge Design Tool Updated With New Features

Parul Dubey on February 5, 2021 - in News, Products, Technology

Bridge professionals can save additional time and costs on short span projects 

WASHINGTON D.C. – The Short Span Steel Bridge Alliance (SSSBA) has updated its web-based steel bridge preliminary design tool, eSPAN140, with new features. eSPAN140 is a free-to-use tool that provides bridge professionals with an all-in-one resource to design rolled beam, plate girder, press-brake tub girder, and buried soil structures up to 140 feet in length. Minimal user inputs result in optimized, individualized steel project solutions that are provided in five minutes or less. The design tool is available at www.espan140.com.

“One of the many benefits of eSPAN140 is that it provides standard designs and details, which speeds up the project delivery time for a short span bridge,” said Dan Snyder, director of the SSSBA. “Since eSPAN140 was launched in 2012, it has provided thousands of preliminary design solutions for bridge owners and designers. These newly released updates make the tool even more valuable at a time when there is increased interest in repairing the national infrastructure.”

The revised version of eSPAN140 includes:

  • Updated rolled beam solutions to provide recommended sizes based on the most economical section.
  • The addition of design standards for press-brake-formed steel tub girder bridges for lengths up to 80 feet and skew angles under 20 degrees.
  • Revised and streamlined buried steel bridge solutions, clarifying inputs and providing users with a more simplified selection process.
  • Updated industry contact information to quickly find available suppliers to assist with the design, fabrication, coating, and installation of short span plate, rolled beam, press brake tub girder, and buried steel bridges.

eSPAN140 also includes design details such as elastomeric bearings, bearing stiffeners, intermediate, and end diaphragms and connections.

Brian P. Keierleber, P.E., county engineer for Buchanan County, Iowa, says: “I have confidence in these bridge designs and details, as they were developed by university researchers who are national experts. eSPAN140 gives me a design I can take to a fabricator, which saves time for me and precious funds for our county.”

Short span bridges up to 140 feet comprise the largest category in the U.S. bridge inventory, so they are in the greatest need of repair or replacement. For more information on short span steel bridge solutions provided by the SSSBA, visit http://www.shortspansteelbridges.org.

The Short Span Steel Bridge Alliance (SSSBA) is a group of bridge and buried soil steel structure industry leaders who have joined together to provide educational information on the design and construction of short span steel bridges in installations up to 140 feet in length. For more news or information, visit www.shortspansteelbridges.org or follow us on Twitter at @ShortSpanSteel or Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/ShortSpanSteel/.   

 

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