In a plate girder bridge, the plate girders are typically I-beams made up from separate structural steel plates (rather than rolled as a single cross-section), which are welded or, in older bridges, bolted or riveted together to form the vertical web and horizontal flanges of the beam.

By 1950's welded plate girders replaced riveted and bolted plate girders in developed world due to their better quality, aesthetics and economy. Fig 1. shows the cross sections of two common types of plate girder bridges.

This design example illustrates the design calculations for a curved steel I-girder bridge, considering the Strength, Service, Fatigue and Constructability limit states in accordance with the AASHTO LRFD Bridge Design Specifications. Calculations are provided for design checks at critical girder locations, a

2.2 Plate Girder Bridges Due in large part to their simplicity and efficiency, plate girder bridges are the most common type of steel bridge. Over time, different types of plate girder bridges have been used, but in modern times, composite, multi-girder bridges have been, by far, the most common type of plate girder bridge configuration.

When designing a plate girder bridge, the first and most important aspect of the design is to choose the proper span arrangement. This is accomplished effectively only by considering the cost of the entire bridge, including both the superstructure and substructure costs. 2.1 Assessing Superstructure Cost

In this chapter, straight compositesteel-concrete plate girder bridges are discussed. Design considerations for span and framing arrangement and section proportion are presented. A design example of the three span continuous composite plate girder bridge is given to illustrate the design procedure. For a more detailed discussion, reference may

A girder bridge is a bridge that uses girders as the means of supporting its deck. [1] The two most common types of modern steel girder bridges are plate and box. [citation needed] The term "girder" is often used interchangeably with "beam" in reference to bridge design.

Plate girder bridges come in various configurations, with the choice of bridge type depending largely on the specific site conditions, design requirements, and economic factors. A half-through plate girder bridge is ideal when large embankment fills are necessary at the bridge approaches.

led bridge designers to increase the maximum span lengths typically associated with a particular bridge type. For example, with the introduction of High Performance Steels over the last decade, steel plate girder bridges are becoming the structure of choice for spans up to 500 feet in length.

When designing a plate girder bridge, the first and most important aspect of the design is to choose the proper span arrangement. This is accomplished effectively only by considering the cost of the entire bridge, including both the superstructure and substructure costs.