Resolution of torsional effects in prestressed girders of railway viaducts through use of diaphragms or proper section design

Need for elevated railways may arise when capacity of bus transit and light rail transit that share the right of way with roadways becomes insufficient and the cost of railways with dedicated right of ways such as underground railways becomes costly. A similar need arose in the city of Makah and in 2010 an 18-km long; elevated railway transit service began servicing between the districts of Mina, Arafat and Muzdalifah. Today the two-track elevated system serves along the route constructed by posttensioned 25-m long U-sections spanning between piers. This paper presents the analytical studies and the finite element model of an alternative 30-m long pretensioned boxed-section evaluated during the tender stage. Following a comparison with the applied choice, benefits of the U-section with respect to the analyzed alternative will be discussed.