New technologies of steel bridges in Japan

Introduced in this paper are (1) some computer programs for static/dynamic elasto-plastic finite displacement analyses used in designing steel bridge structures, (2) the ultimate strength and design methods of steel plates, stiffened plates and columns made of high strength steel subjected to compression, (3) seismic design and retrofitting methods of new and existing steel bridge piers after the Hyogo-ken Nambu Earthquake, and (4) friction type joints and tension type joints with high strength bolts and development of high performance high strength bolts in Japan. These are some topics which the authors are concerned with among new technologies of steel bridges under development in Japan, such as development of high performance steel, new fiber materials, new types of bridges, performance based design methods, seismic design method against earthquakes of level 2 like the Hyogo-ken Nambu Earthquake, and bridge management system. (C) 2002 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.