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Review Paper | Structural Engineering | Volume 15 Issue 7, July 2026 | Pages: 2214 - 2216 | India
Structural Behaviour of Tied-Arch and Bowstring Bridges: A Review of Analytical, Numerical, and Experimental Studies
Abstract: Tied-arch, or bowstring, bridges are widely adopted for medium-span crossings because they combine the load-carrying efficiency of the arch form with a self-balancing tie that eliminates horizontal thrust at the supports. While their in-plane response under gravity loads is comparatively well established, their out-of-plane behaviour under wind, seismic, and asymmetric traffic actions continues to attract active research. This paper reviews published work on the design, analysis, stability, and monitoring of tied-arch and bowstring bridges, organised thematically into design optimisation, dynamic and construction-stage behaviour, stability and bracing systems, skewed and curved bridge response, and structural health monitoring. The review identifies that although considerable attention has been given to hanger arrangement, rise-to-span ratio, and geometric nonlinearity, comparatively little work addresses the influence of alternative bracing configurations on the combined displacement, force distribution, and economy of steel bowstring bridges designed to Indian loading standards, indicating a clear direction for further study.
Keywords: Tied-arch bridges, Bowstring bridges, Structural stability, Bridge design, Structural health monitoring
How to Cite?: Bhavesh S Bhutada, Girish V Joshi, "Structural Behaviour of Tied-Arch and Bowstring Bridges: A Review of Analytical, Numerical, and Experimental Studies", Volume 15 Issue 7, July 2026, International Journal of Science and Research (IJSR), Pages: 2214-2216, https://www.ijsr.net/getabstract.php?paperid=SR26725024243, DOI: https://dx.doi.org/10.21275/SR26725024243