Lanes are available through CSiBridge to indicate where vehicle loads act on a bridge superstructure. Lanes are defined by reference lines, which may be layout lines or frame-object paths. Versatile features enable the modeling of complex roadways and traffic patterns. Multiple lanes may be created, straight or curved, each of a specific length and width, and need not be parallel. Users may combine vehicle loads with static and dynamic loads, then envelope parameters for maximum and minimum response. Response quantities may then be presented in a useful manner according to lane geometry.

Vehicle live loads may be created manually or selected from a list of standard specifications. Moving-load analysis may then be selected as the load case, and may follow one of the following methods:

• Influence-based enveloping analysis, where vehicles, oriented in either direction, are automatically positioned within each lane to induce maximum and minimum response throughout the structure.

• Step-by-step analysis, where vehicles travel along the roadway, each with its own start time and position, direction, and speed. This step-by-step procedure may couple with time-history analysis and nonlinear behavior, and may be useful for special studies or unusual permit vehicles.

Additional information is available in the

[_Analysis Reference Manual_] (Lanes, page 436).

Tips

• You can modify your lane definition to exert a greater control over which objects will be loaded by the lane. Instead of using "Program Determined", you can specify a group of object to which lane loading will be applied.

See Also

• [Lane discretization (form tutorial)] - form tutorial illustrating how to control lane discretization
• Layout line