High-Strength ASTM A588 Steel Plate Truss Bridge Weathering Steel Girder Long Span Highway Crossing Heavy Load Capacity

High-Strength ASTM A588 Steel Plate Truss Bridge is a prefabricated steel plate truss girder bridge engineered for long span highway crossings under heavy traffic load. Chords, web plates and gussets are cut and welded from ASTM A588 high-strength low-alloy weathering steel, which combines a 345 MPa minimum yield strength with atmospheric corrosion resistance several times higher than ordinary carbon steel.

The bridge is shop fabricated in match-marked segments, trial assembled before delivery, and erected on site with high-strength friction grip bolts. The bolted segment system removes the need for large site welding crews, shortens erection of a typical single span to a few days, and keeps traffic disruption to a minimum. The open truss layout distributes wheel loads along the full chord length, so a longer clear span is reached with a shallower and lighter superstructure, reducing pier count, foundation work and whole life cost.

Key Features

• ASTM A588 Grade A / Grade B weathering plate, 345 MPa min yield, 485 MPa min tensile, 18% min elongation
• Warren, Pratt or Howe plate truss configuration selected by span, load class and deck width
• Self-protecting oxide patina on exposed surfaces, no periodic repainting required
• Heavy load capacity to AASHTO HS20-44 / HS25-44 or client specified live load class
• Match-marked bolted segments, trial assembled in shop, fast site erection without large falsework
• Full penetration welding to AWS D1.5 with ultrasonic and magnetic particle inspection
• Galvanized or inorganic zinc duplex system for coastal and high humidity sites
• Complete package: erection drawings, bolt sets, bearings, mill certificates and load test report
• Span, camber, deck width and coating fully customized to project drawings or site conditions

Technical Specifications

Why ASTM A588 Weathering Steel

In normal atmospheric exposure A588 steel develops a dense, tightly adherent oxide layer that acts as its own protective coating. Corrosion loss is reduced to roughly one quarter of that of ordinary carbon steel, and unlike a paint system the patina does not peel or need recoating. For a highway bridge in a remote location, a busy traffic corridor or a coastal environment with limited maintenance access, this cuts whole life cost sharply and avoids repainting shutdowns.

Applications

Highway and expressway crossings, rural and county road bridges, river and canal crossings, industrial and mining access bridges, port and logistics park haul roads, temporary and emergency detour bridges, pedestrian and light vehicle overpasses.

About FAMOUS

FAMOUS Steel Engineering has been designing and fabricating structural steel since 2002 from Hangzhou, China. Cutting, welding, shot blasting, trial assembly and inspection are handled in house, so the whole truss bridge stays under one roof from plate to shipment. Every project is checked against AASHTO and AWS requirements before delivery, and trial orders are welcome.