article · International Journal of Innovative Science and Research Technology (IJISRT)
A numerical evaluation examines the structural behaviour of the Bantoum River Bridge deck on National Road RN4 in Cameroon. The multi-span structure comprises five 30-metre spans, four prestressed concrete main girders, and a reinforced concrete slab. Using a three-dimensional model in MIDAS Civil, the investigation incorporates road traffic load models LM1 and LM3, wind forces, and time-dependent concrete creep and shrinkage. Under ultimate limit state conditions, the most heavily loaded girder experiences a peak bending moment of 8.9423 MN.m and a maximum shear force of 1.3176 MN. The design identifies a requirement for four 12T15 prestressing tendons and a minimum prestressing force of 7.07 MN. Across all verifications, stresses within the concrete, prestressing steel, and passive reinforcement stay within acceptable thresholds, providing a comprehensive assessment of the deck under operational constraints.
Bridges degrade over time due to heavy traffic, environmental exposure, and gradual internal changes in concrete such as creep and shrinkage. Evaluating these combined factors through detailed computer modelling helps ensure that critical transport infrastructure remains safe and structurally sound throughout its operational life, preventing unexpected failures and guiding appropriate engineering decisions.
This applied engineering analysis provides specific modelling data and design verifications relevant to civil engineering consultancies and transport infrastructure agencies overseeing bridge construction and maintenance. While demonstrated on an active bridge site, the work represents applied structural modelling rather than a marketable product. Practitioners can integrate these combined loading and long-term deformation parameters directly into bridge design workflows and structural safety assessments.
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Assessing the performance of multi-span prestressed concrete bridges requires the combined consideration of traffic-induced actions, prestressing, the mechanical properties of materials, and the time-dependent effects of concrete. This study investigates the structural behavior of the deck of the Bantoum River Bridge, located along National Road RN4 in Cameroon. The bridge consists of five 30-m spans, four prestressed concrete main girders, and a reinforced concrete deck slab. A three-dimensional numerical model was developed using MIDAS Civil 2022 based on the actual geometry of the structure, the mechanical properties of the materials, the support conditions, and the prescribed design actions. The LM1 and LM3 road traffic load models, wind actions, and time-dependent effects associated with concrete creep and shrinkage were considered. The results show that the most highly loaded main girder reaches a maximum bending moment of 8.9423 MN.m and a maximum shear force of 1.3176 MN at the ultimate limit state (ULS). The design leads to the adoption of four 12T15 prestressing tendons and a minimum required prestressing force of 7.07 MN. The verification results show that the maximum stresses in the concrete, prestressing steel, and passive reinforcement remain below the adopted limits. The analysis of time-dependent effects further indicates a final creep coefficient of 1.8549 and a shrinkage strain of −2.7539 × 10⁻⁴. These results show that the combined consideration of traffic actions, prestressing, and time-dependent phenomena provides a more comprehensive characterization of the structural behavior of the bridge deck under the considered design conditions.
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DOI: 10.38124/ijisrt/26aug585
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