Category: Bridge Design and Rating

The Bridge Design and Rating Newsletter is available online!

Read about all of this in the September 2024 Newsletter.

• BrDR has launched a new website! Update your bookmark!
• Igor Chernioglo wins Prismatic Legacy Award!
• BrDR Spotlight – Illinois Department of Transportation
• Welcome to the new BrDR Task Force Member – Yihong Gao, Minnesota DOT
• BrDR 7.6 Beta Testing Kickoff

The Bridge Design and Rating Newsletter is available online!

Read about all of this in the June 2024 Newsletter.

• BrDR Spotlight – Ohio Department of Transportation
• Mark your calendar for the Next Generation of the BrDR Reporting Tool webinar!
• Introducing AASHTOWare PermitRoute
• AASHTOWare Bridge Design and Rating (BrDR) Version Support Policy
• 2024 Rating and Design Bridge User Group (RADBUG) Meeting
• Join a BrDR Technical Advisory Group (TAG)!

The AASHTOWare Bridge Design and Rating 7.5.1 Release distribution has been completed. The distribution was processed based on the information the organization provides when the software is licensed.  The 7.5.1 release download package, with Bridge Design (BrD), Bridge Rating (BrR), or the combined Bridge Design and Rating (BrDR), was distributed to the organization’s shipping and end-user designee.

The 7.5.1 release adds the following capabilities and features:

Click on the links below to directly access the learning resources and tutorials posted on the AASHTOWare Bridge Technical Support website’s Training page at https://aashtowarebrdr.org/bridge-rating-and-design/training/.

• Advanced concrete multi-cell box (MCB) superstructure LFR and LRFR for straight and curved MCBs, and MCBs with complex geometry and configuration.
• Comes with close to 100 resolved BSSD issues.

Special Notes:

• 7.5.1 does not require a BrDR database migration and the installer provides the option to upgrade your 7.5.0 installation to 7.5.1.

Please direct any questions to AASHTOWare Bridge Design and Rating Technical Support at BrDR@promiles.com.

The Bridge Design and Rating Newsletter is available online!

Read about all of this in the March 2024 Newsletter.

• BrDR 7.5.1 Release Distribution
• 2023 Top 10 RADBUG Enhancements
• AASHTOWare Bridge Design and Rating is Recruiting a new Task Force member!
• AASHTOWare Innovation Summit
• BrDR Analysis TAG Recent Activities
• 2024 Rating And Design Bridge Users Group (RADBUG) Annual Meeting!

The Bridge Design and Rating Newsletter is available online!

Read about all of this in the November 2023 Newsletter.

• 2023 RADBUG Annual Meeting Snapshot
• BrDR 7.5 Release Distribution – COMPLETED
• Don’t miss next week’s New Features and Enhancements in AASHTOWare BrDR 7.5 webinar!
• Take a peek at the BrDR 7.6 and 7.7 New Features and Enhancement
• Future of the Madero Analysis Engine in BrR
• Where to Find BrDR Learning Resources
• BrDR Needs You! Join a TAG!
• 2024 RADBUG Meeting – Save the Date!

The AASHTOWare Bridge Design and Rating Task Force is pleased to deliver version 7.5.0 of the AASHTOWare Bridge Design (BrD) and AASHTOWare Bridge Rating (BrR) products and the combined Design and Rating product (BrDR).

The 7.5.0 release adds the following capabilities and features:

• Next Generation of Report Tool Phase 1 – New reporting framework and report editor.  The Phase 1 objective is to establish the foundation for the new Report Tool and include reporting for prestressed concrete bridges.  Other bridge types and output data reporting will be implemented in future phases.
• AASHTO Manual for Bridge Evaluation updates (3^rd Edition, 2023 Interim Revisions)
  • MBE 6A.4.2.1 and 6A.5.8 – Changes to concrete shear and evaluation of shear load rating
    • Use concurrent load effects
    • Concrete Iterative Shear Rating Control Option
    • Modify MCFT Strain and Ignore Size Effect Control Options
• Improvements to existing capabilities and features
  • Consistent Rating Method Naming with MBE – Rename LFD rating to LFR and ASD rating to ASR.
  • Support Copy and Paste Functionality for All UI Grids
  • New Additions to General Preferences – New preferences for LRFR Condition factor, LRFR System factor, and Additional self-load (kip/ft and %).
  • Enhance License Mechanism and Cryptographically Secure Bridge Data
  • BrDR Database Maintenance and Usability Improvements – Support connection pooling, reconnection after disruption, encrypted connection, and Azure multi-factor authentication and integrated active directory.
  • Analysis Results Comparison Tool Usability Improvements – New user interface for configuration settings, provide additional information in the Dataset Explorer, and relocate dataset storage to the Documents folder.
• AASHTO Analysis Engine Maintenance tasks
  • BSSD-1581 Add Net Area Deduction for Truss LRFR
  • BSSD-1606 and 1707 Truss Member and Gusset Plate Adjacent Vehicle Analysis
  • BSSD-1617 Provide Std and LRFD Inputs for Modulus of Rupture
  • BSSD-1622 Use Concurrent Moments in Cb Calculation
  • BSSD-1880 Provide Input for Maximum Aggregate Size
  • BSSD-1940 Improve 3D Mesh Generation to Limit Small Elements
  • BSSD-2370, 2708, and 2738 Truss Gusset Plate Shear Analysis Improvements
  • BSSD-3333 Consider Variable Axle Spacing for LRFR Permit Loads
• Top voted RADBUG enhancements
  • BSSD-1585 Modeling and Analysis with Square Rebars
  • BSSD-1824 Allow LFR of Curved Steel Spans Greater Than 300 feet
  • BSSD-3109 Improve Culvert Design Tool Final Iteration Reporting
  • BSSD-3223 Improve Load Rating Tool Precomputed Data Window
  • BSSD-3552 Concrete LRFR Moment Redistribution

Special Notes:

• For the Advanced Concrete Multi-Cell Box Superstructure LFR and LRFR task originally planned for the 7.5.0 release, the testing is currently in progress and the task has been rescheduled for the 7.5.1 release.
• The existing BrDR license mechanism has been enhanced for the 7.5.0 release.
  • A new “AASHTOWare Bridge Design & Rating Desktop Service” will be deployed while installing BrDR to manage instances of BrDR.  This desktop service does not require any additional maintenance or input by the user during installation.
  • All users, regardless of their license type, will be required to have an active license when running BrDR.  The license can be deployed as a part of the silent installation.
• BrDR XML Report Viewer – With Microsoft’s deprecation of Internet Explorer, users may no longer be able to use the browser for reviewing Report Tool files.  To circumvent this issue, a BrDR XML Report Viewer is available.  Details on this viewer are provided in Technical Note 70.

The 7.5.0 release download package, with Bridge Design, Bridge Rating, or both, is provided in accordance with your AASHTO license agreement.  Installation instructions are provided within the AASHTOWare Bridge Startup Guide in the download package.

Software distribution is processed based on the information the organization provides when the software is licensed.  The 7.5.0 release download package will be distributed to the organization’s shipping and end-user designee.  Software distribution to all licensees will be completed within 5 working days from this announcement.  A follow-up email will be sent upon completion and provide information on the learning resources available for the new capabilities and features.

Please direct any questions to AASHTOWare Bridge Design and Rating Technical Support at BrDR@promiles.com.

The Bridge Design and Rating Newsletter is available online!

Read about all of this in the July 2023 Newsletter.

• BrDR Task Force Membership Update
• BrDR Updates at 2023 COBS Annual Meeting
• BrDR 7.3.2 and 7.4.1 Releases – May 2023
• BrDR 7.5 Beta Testing Update
• Enhanced BrDR License Mechanism
• BrDR Cloud Platform Architecture Drivers Elicitation Workshop
• Don’t miss the 2023 RADBUG Annual Meeting!
• AASHTO Rebranding

The AASHTOWare Bridge Design and Rating Task Force is pleased to deliver versions 7.3.2 and 7.4.1 of the AASHTOWare Bridge Design (BrD) and AASHTOWare Bridge Rating (BrR) products and the combined Design and Rating product (BrDR).

The following Support Center incidents have been resolved in the 7.3 Maintenance Update 2 (version 7.3.2):

• BSSD-4068 Unconservative ‘Distribution Factor-Line Girder’ analysis results for short span lengths
• BSSD-4072 Floorbeam bracing issue – incorrect unbraced length is used
• BSSD-4089 Unable to Define Floorbeam Members-Floorbeam Member alternative window
• BSSD-4102 AASHTO Timber ASD engine beam weight is being doubled for percentage of additional self-weight input
• BSSD-4108 Influence surface for shear at support for does not peak at that support
• BSSD-4128 For the AASHTO Timber LRFR engine the timber deck LL analysis actions change when additional trucks are included.

The following Support Center incidents have been resolved in the 7.4 Maintenance Update 1 (version 7.4.1):

• BSSD-4056 Improper handling of ‘Must consider user input lateral flange bending stresses’ control option for GFS model file created in v7.4
• BSSD-4067 Floorbeam LL incorrect in truss systems with more than 2 trusses
• BSSD-4068 Unconservative ‘Distribution Factor-Line Girder’ analysis results for short span lengths
• BSSD-4072 Floorbeam bracing issue – incorrect unbraced length is used
• BSSD-4089 Unable to Define Floorbeam Members-Floorbeam Member alternative window
• BSSD-4102 AASHTO Timber ASD engine beam weight is being doubled for percentage of additional self-weight input
• BSSD-4108 Influence surface for shear at support for does not peak at that support
• BSSD-4128 For the AASHTO Timber LRFR engine the timber deck LL analysis actions change when additional trucks are included.

The appropriate system download package, with Bridge Design, Bridge Rating, or both, is provided in accordance with your AASHTO license agreement. Installation instructions are provided within the AASHTOWare Bridge Startup Guide in the download package. Please uninstall version 7.3.0 and 7.3.1 before installing version 7.3.2 and please uninstall version 7.4.0 before installing version 7.4.1.

For distributed silent install, please contact BrDR@promiles.com for a standalone MSI installer.

Software distribution is processed based on the information the organization provides when the software is licensed.  The system download package will be distributed to the organization’s shipping and end user designee. Software distribution will be completed within 7 business days.

The Bridge Design and Rating Newsletter is available online!

Read about all of this in the March 2023 Newsletter.

• BrDR 7.4 Release – February 2023
• BrDR 7.5 Development Update
• BrDR Backlog TAG
• BrDR Analysis TAG
• BrDR Beta Testing TAG
• From the Desktop to the Cloud
• RADBUG Annual Meeting

The AASHTOWare Bridge Design and Rating Task Force is pleased to deliver version 7.4 of the AASHTOWare Bridge Design (BrD) and AASHTOWare Bridge Rating (BrR) products and the combined Design and Rating product (BrDR). This release adds the following capabilities and features.

Bridge Design and Rating core product platform:

• Ability to specify flange lateral bending stresses for analysis – This enhancement allows flange lateral bending stresses to be specified at diaphragm locations for the design and rating of steel multi-girder bridges.
• Ability to select the Bridge Management (BrM) bridge data fields to synchronize with BrDR.

The appropriate system download package, with Bridge Design, Bridge Rating, or both, is provided in accordance with your AASHTO license agreement.  Installation instructions are provided within the AASHTOWare Bridge Startup Guide in the download package.

Software distribution is processed based on the information the organization provides when the software is licensed.  The system download package will be distributed to the organization’s shipping and end user designee. Software distribution to all licensees will be completed 5 working days from this announcement.