Modular structures – selected design issues in transport construction

The article presents selected aspects of technological and organizational design of modular bridge structures in transport construction. The author bases his knowledge on practical examples of such solutions. The use of modular structures is in some cases the only alternative for ensuring the passability of important transport routes. An additional advantage of modular structures is the speed of their construction, which results in their use in the temporary reconstruction of transport infrastructure in the post-flood period. These properties of modular structures encourage an attempt to develop a computer expert system for bridge construction planning in order to significantly accelerate the decision-making process in crisis situations.Modular bridge structures began to be introduced into use basically at the beginning of the 20th century in France, and later in other European countries [4,5].
Structural solutions for bridges initially took into account military needs. During the design process, it turned out that they belong to very complex engineering structures.
Constructors such as Eiffel or Bailey were involved in solving computational structural systems.
Modular bridges are currently experiencing a renaissance in transport construction and, as numerous observations show, structures of this type are used all over the world.
This mainly concerns their use as detour bridges during the renovation of permanent bridges, to secure the passage of oversized loads, and for the reconstruction of transport facilities in crisis situations. (…)

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