SSSBA publishes research on press-brake formed steel tub girder bridge technology

Washington, D.C. — The Short Span Steel Bridge Alliance (SSSBA) published the results of extensive research on the development and experimental testing of an innovative bridge system designed by members of the organization and several partners. “Development and Experimental Testing of Press-Brake-Formed Steel Tub Girders (PBTG) for Short Span Bridge Applications” was compiled by Karl Barth, Ph.D., the Jack H. Samples Distinguished Professor of Structural Engineering – Civil and Environmental Engineering at West Virginia University; and former research assistant Greg Michaelson, Ph.D., P.E., now Assistant Professor of Civil Engineering at Marshall University.

“Development and Experimental Testing of Press-Brake-Formed Steel Tub Girders for Short Span Bridge Applications” consists of five volumes that are available for free download at

https://www.shortspansteelbridges.org/learning-center/research. They include:

• Volume I – “Development and Feasibility Assessment of Shallow Press-Brake-Formed Steel Tub Girders for Short Span Bridge Applications”
• Volume II – “Experimental Evaluation of Non-Composite Shallow Press-Brake-Formed Steel Tub Girders”
• Volume III – “Evaluation of Modular Press-Brake-Formed Tub Girders With UHPC Joints”
• Volume IV – “Field Performance Assessment of Press-Brake-Formed Steel Tub Girder Superstructures”
• Volume V – “Fatigue Performance of Uncoated and Galvanized Composite Press-Brake-Formed Tub Girders”

“Press-brake-formed steel tub girder bridges are an excellent solution for replacing structures with spans of up to 60 feet because they are cost-effective, remain in service for up to 100 years with proper maintenance, and can be installed in less time than some other types of bridges, minimizing traffic delays,” said Rich Tavoletti, director of the Short Span Steel Bridge Alliance. “These and other benefits are generating interest from bridge owners, engineers and other design professionals who are looking for solutions to their own bridge infrastructure challenges. We published the research to answer many of their questions and are making it easily accessible for wider distribution. We anticipate PBTG bridges will become a common solution for federal, state and local jurisdictions that need to replace many bridges quickly and economically.”