Design Requirements for Plate Girders with Bolted Transverse Stiffeners (TECHNICAL NOTE)

Web of plate girders in bridges are usually reinforced by welded transverse stiffeners inorder to improve their shear capacity. Due to problems associated with field welding and fatigue,welded stiffeners are not suitable for retrofitting existing bridges. Bolted stiffeners are a practicalalternative for strengthening girders that are expected to experience shear stresses in excess of theirdesign shear capacity. This paper presents the results of an analytical study into behavior of plategirders with bolted transverse stiffeners. Based on this study new requirements are developed fordesign of such girders.