Introduction

Why Automate?

Autodesk® Structural Bridge Design (ASBD) is a powerful software, though its operation can involve repetitive manual tasks through the user interface. Many organizations have their own automation processes to boost efficiency and productivity. These systems can interface with ASBD data to execute various analysis and code-checking tasks. Simple scripts can generate text-based data entirely, modify existing data, and automate the process.

For instance, a text-based data file might include all the material properties, section definition parameters, and associated loading. This file can then be input into ASBD via the command line to generate a text-based file. This output file would contain key shear output for all the loading cases and an optional report containing the full calculation breakdown.

Scope

The design codes supported by Automation include:

• Eurocodes (all variants)
• AASHTO LRFD
• Australian Standard® (AS5100).

The key components which Automation supports are Design Sections, Pretensioned Prestressed Design Beams and Steel Composite Design Beams.

For Design Sections, you can create and analyze a single or composite element section of any shape. Multiple sections can also be automated in the same run. The automated analysis capability supports the following types:

• Section properties (gross, transformed, and plastic)
• Torsion and shear stress
• Biaxial bending (ultimate and service limit states, resistance capacity or specific loading)
• Shear
• Crack width
• Differential temperature
• General stress-strain
• Interaction surface

For Design Beams, a beam can be created and subjected to a single analysis task, or a batch of analysis tasks, to obtain output for both allowable and design values, or to determine the performance at the critical position along the beam. The automated analysis capability supports the following types:

• Section properties
• Transfer (prestressed beams)
• Erection (prestressed beams)
• Construction
• Live bending
• Live shear
• Interface shear
• Temperature primary effects
• Shrinkage and creep primary effects

If you have any questions, please contact our Support team or post your queries on the Structural Bridge Design Forum.

Should you have specific needs that are not yet addressed by this Automation implementation, we encourage you to let us know at bridges@autodesk.com.