Tcl'2006 Abstract: Rating of Highway Bridges Using Tcl

We are pleased to announce the 13th Annual Tcl/Tk conference (Tcl'2006), sponsored by Noumena Corporation , Digital Smarties , Eolas Technologies and ActiveState .

Rating of Highway Bridges Using Tcl

Author: Michael H. Scott, Adrian Kidarsa

Abstract

Due to the deterioration of reinforced concrete bridges built during the interstate expansion of the 1950s and the increased number and weight of trucks that pass over these bridges, bridge rating has become of paramount importance in Oregon and other states across the United States. Applications have been developed in Tcl to rate highway bridges for their remaining capacity in comparison with truck demands. A finite element analysis program, OpenSees (http://opensees.berkeley.edu), written in C++, extends the Tcl language to define the nodes, boundary conditions, bridge elements, and moving loads required to compute the demand imposed by trucks at critical locations along a bridge. Tcl commands are also added to compute the bridge capacity from design specifications at the critical locations, which can then be compared to the imposed demand in order to rate the bridge. The scripting capabilities of Tcl facilitate the repetitive nature of moving load analysis, and the database features of Tcl can interface with bridge and rating vehicle databases maintained by state DOT's. Further extensions are to distributed computing applications that simulate the passing of special permit trucks through critical national transportation corridors, e.g., along I-5 from Seattle to San Diego.

Conference Committee

Contact Information

tcl2006@tcl.tk

Last modified: June 06, 2007