Arch Bridge in Nijmegen-New 3D Approach to Workshop Plans

• Published in: Procedia engineering 2012, Vol.40, p.114-118
• Main Authors: Franc, D., Pechal, A.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: arch; NX Siemens; steel bridge; workshop plans
• ISSN: 1877-7058; 1877-7058
• DOI: 10.1016/j.proeng.2012.07.065

In our design company we have prepared in years 2010 and 2011 workshop drawings for steel arch construction of the main span of the new city bridge in Nijmegen in Netherlands. In our paper we want to give basic information about design of the steel arch bridge and present how we have prepared workshop plans for this bridge. Main span over the river Rhine is designed as steel arch bridge with lower deck with span of 285 m. Total weight of steel structure is 6040 tons. Steel structure of the bridge has one arch which is divided at supports into struts which form entry portals. Geometry of the bridge is very complicated because of oblique substructures and curved shape of the deck and arch. In past we have used 3D CAD software (AutoCAD) to prepare geometry of complicated parts of a bridge and then (without associability) we have prepared 2D workshop plans. By bridge in Nijmegen it was for the first time in our design company we have used 3D CAD software NX Siemens to model associatively whole bridge and to extract associatively 2D workshop drawings. Without using fully 3D system it would be very difficult (or quite impossible) to prepare workshop drawings considering workshop camber in all the three directions for such a complicated steel structure. This new approach to workshop plans requires change in thinking of the designer team and requires new specific skills. Big advantage of the new approach is that our 3D model can be used further to support production and erection of the bridge and final client can use 3D model as a base for BIM-model (Building information modelling) of the bridge.