Detailed Design of Bridge with OBM (Open Bridge Modeller)

Hi Experts,

I am new to OBM, I have done a few tutorials from online learning material.

I wanted to know if OBM is the solution to Bridge modeling? Could you do the full detailed design of the bridge including all the components? (eg. On-Structure Barriers, Wingwalls, Abutment, expansion joint, bearings etc.).

I am from Australia and we use lots of Super-T beams. Could you manipulate flange of outer beams to follow road alignment on radius?

I have been doing bridges on Microstation using smart solids, would OBM be better than normal Microstation modeling for full detailed design?

Regards,

Jaimin Patel

  • Jaimin,

    OBM is the best solution to bridge modeling that i have seen up to this point. It currently covers the majority of precast concrete girder, steel girder, and segmental bridges, and i know that the more complex bridges such as cable stayed are in the works. You can push the OBM model to their three bridge design softwares: LEAP bridge concrete, LEAP Bridge Steel, and RM Bridge. I'd advise you to look into each of those to determine what you can and cannot design in them. To save you some time, they do not do design for barriers, wingwalls, expansion joints, or bearings. Those particular items always have been and probably always will be hand calcs, although they may do the wing walls and barriers one day. Their solutions for detailing steel and concrete reinforcement (ProStructures) have slowly been improving for the bridge world and are starting to become viable. 

    You can manipulate girders using alignments and auxiliary alignments, so without knowing the specifics of your situation I'd bet that you can manipulate the girders you are talking about the way you need to. If you are asking about manipulating flanges of a single beam independently, that you cannot do to the best of my knowledge. 

    If you are just modeling bridges in vanilla microstation then i would highly recommend using OBM. I have found that it can do what i need it to do the majority of the time.

    OpenBridge Modeler - 10.10.00.85
    Microstation - 10.16.02.34

    Comprehensive 3 Day OpenBridge Modeler Training

  • Since version 10.07.03.23 the OpenBridge Modeler includes the Super-T beams, and now also has the feature you mentioned in the original question above, to manipulate flanges to follow specified rules, as shown below.

    Marcos Beier 

    Senior Technical Support Engineer

    RM Bridge is now an integral part of OpenBridge Designer CONNECT Edition as Bentley’s solution for supporting the design and engineering tasks in bridge construction for all types of bridges and construction…

    Answer Verified By: Jaimin Patel