Bridge bent FAQ

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To what do substructure elevation and bearing elevation refer?

Answer: Please see the Substructure and bearing elevations page. Additional information is available on the Bridge bearings FAQ page.

How can I model a single bent consisting of two separate piers?

Answer: Users may create a single bent with multiple piers through manual assignment within automatic modeling procedures. For example, one bent may be created within the bridge modeler, and then another may be created manually. Also, a single bent may be created in the bridge modeler with six columns, then geometry may be edited outside of the bridge modeler to make the bent cap and footing discontinuous.

How can I model a wall-type bent?

Answer: Users may model wall-type bents manually. For additional details, please see the Manual modeling of wall-type bents tutorial.

How can I model a bent without a bent cap?

Answer: Given that the bridge modeler automatically creates a bent cap for each bent, users have two options for modeling a bent without the cap, described as follows:

• Allow the bridge modeler to create the bent cap, then manually delete the object and adjust bearing-link connectivity as necessary.

• Assign very small dimensions and stiff properties to the cap such that it does not effect analysis-model behavior, which is equivalent to not existing.

How can I model a standalone bridge pier?

Answer: Please see the Concrete bent with nonprismatic cap tutorial.