Efficient Bridge Design in Turkey

In 2017, Yüksel Proje – one of the largest engineering consultants in Turkey – made the switch to 3D modeling. With just four ALLPLAN licenses, the company began modeling bridges, underpasses, culverts and retaining walls, quickly expanding to 19 licenses to keep up with demand. They were one of the early adopters of ALLPLAN Bridge design software, using it since launch for all their bridge projects. As part of the ALLPLAN Bridge Day 2021 event, they shared three bridge design projects in Turkey which were able to be successfully delivered using ALLPLAN Bridge.

The Rize-Artvin Airport is a new airport being constructed on reclaimed land off the northeastern coast of Turkey. As part of these works, a new cast in-situ, post-tensioned bridge is required. Spanning 444 meters, the platform width is 11,25 m and the slab depth is variable from 1,2 to 1,8 m.

This bridge presented several challenges, mainly because of the variable parameters of the geometry. For example, the deck height varied across the bridge’s cross-section. Another challenge was the eccentricity of the bridge piers, which used V-shaped columns to support the bridge deck. As the deck rose, the distance between the piers increased. The number of piles and their spacing, as well as the axis of the post-tensioning tendons also had varying geometry.

To overcome this, the engineers used variable parameters within ALLPLAN Bridge to create a 3D model quickly and accurately. Once completed, the model was sent to ALLPLAN, where the construction drawings were swiftly generated. One of the most useful advantages of ALLPLAN for Yüksel Proje is the high-performance rebar detailing tools, which enable detailing to be completed rapidly yet with precision.

The Zigana Bridge is being built in the Zigana Pass in northeastern Turkey, as part of works to replace an existing tunnel in the area. The cast in-situ, post-tensioned bridge measures 126 meters in length and has three spans with a maximum span of 46 meters. This bridge presented difficulties because of the transverse slope of the bridge, which would have been challenging to model conventionally. The post-tensioning tendon axis varied along the length of the bridge as well, but this was handled easily with variable parameters in ALLPLAN Bridge.

Once the model was complete in ALLPLAN Bridge, it was straightforward to transfer it seamlessly to ALLPLAN. Here, the 2D drawings – including reinforcement design and detailing – could be quickly generated with the automated tools. Another benefit of using ALLPLAN and ALLPLAN Bridge is the high accuracy it enables, which provides a reliable basis for quantity calculations.

Oran Viaduct is a new, post-tensioned girder bridge currently under construction in Oran province, Algeria. It is made up of precast concrete segments with the post-tensioning tendons already installed during manufacture, with a length of 684 meters. The bridge is supported by 17 piers, with spans of up to 40 meters long.

For this bridge, the circular piers and pile foundations were modeled in 3D and then reinforced in ALLPLAN. ALLPLAN’s tools make reinforcing and detailing unusual shapes easy, modeling the bars with just one click. Detailing can then be done using a familiar 2D workflow, as the 2D views are created automatically.

For the engineers at Yüksel Proje, working with ALLPLAN and ALLPLAN Bridge gives them the flexibility they need for their designs. As several alternatives are proposed during the design stage and revisions can take place even during construction, having bridge design software that optimizes the design process provides significant time – and therefore cost – savings. For Yüksel Proje, ALLPLAN and ALLPLAN Bridge provide the solutions they need to create optimum and economical designs.

Try a free, 30-day trial of ALLPLAN Bridge – ALLPLAN’s groundbreaking bridge design software – to see how much time can be saved during the bridge design process.