Bridge-Wizard: Expert system for finite element modeling and post processing of bridge structures

Abstract

Notwithstanding the abrupt increase in computational power and the subsequent advances in finite element analysis, many pre- and post-processing tasks still require a high level of engineering judgment while others remain significantly time consuming. Furthermore, commercial software, being inevitably of general purpose, does not always provide specific elements or constitutive laws tailored to the assessment of seismic response of structures. Powerful software for earthquake engineering has also been developed but, in most cases, it is equally lacking of a user-friendly interactive environment. Along these lines, the scope of this paper is to present the architecture and features of Bridge Wizard, an interactive frontend software for the seismic analysis and assessment of bridge structures, that takes advantage of a sophisticated, Open-Source software for Earthquake Engineering Simulation (OpenSees) to provide through its graphical user's interface: (a) conceptual assistance during the finite element analysis pre- and post-processing (b) finite element model development automations and (c) expert advice for modeling various bridge-specific issues that are key for the reliable prediction of structural response (such as boundary conditions, pier-deck connections, soil-structure interaction etc). It is deemed that the development of Bridge Wizard improves the efficiency and credibility of the finite element modeling developed, particularly for the case of complex bridge structures and gives the designer more control in critical modeling decisions affecting the overall system response.