Intermediate (tabular) results

Document history

Initial version, 2023-05-26

Accessing intermediate results

A key feature of Archie-M is easy access to numerical calculation results, including all of the key calculation steps.

With a bridge model open, choose Tools -> Show intermediate results... or click the table icon in the toolbar.

It is then possible to arrange the windows so both the graphical and tabular output are visible. The tabular output updates in real time as changes are made to the model.

Maximising the text output will allow more of it to be seen at once.

Taking results to Excel

The above screenshot shows the main elements of the output. If you use Ctrl+C or Edit->Copy with a text view active, the content will be copied to the clipboard in tab separated format. This can be pasted directly into Excel, which can then be used to check results, or build on them.

With careful arrangement in Excel, it is possible to paste new output from Archie-M into the same location in Excel, to update calculations, eg for different load cases.

Content of intermediate results

The structure of the results is shown below. At the very bottom, out of sight, details of the applied load cases are given.

The first sections repeat global inputs. Spans and piers then have a block each, moving from left to right as shown on screen.

In each span and pier block, the details of the item are given first, then the calculations.

Both spans and piers are divided into blocks, or "segments". By default there are 40 segments per arch. The number of segments in the piers depends on the pier height.

The calculations, though labelled "Segment" are organised by segment boundary. If there are n segments, the number of segment boundaries is n+1. The line numbered 0 is the left springing, 1 is to the right of the leftmost segment, and so on.

Columns from left to right are:

Row (segment boundary) number.
Intrados node x coordinate.
Intrados node z coordinate.
Extrados node x coordinate.
Extrados node z coordinate.
The z coordinate of the road directly above the extrados node.
Fx dead. The increment of force in the x direction added by the segment to the left of this boundary. Incremental forces in the x direction would arise from horizontal soil pressure. The values for the first row are 0 because there is no segment to the left.
Fz dead. The increment of force in the z direction added by the segment to the left of this boundary, from segment self weight, and the weight of backing, fill etc above. The values for the first row are 0 because there is no segment to the left.
My dead. The increment of moment at the intrados about the y axis (clockwise positive) contributed by this element and the material above. The values for the first row are 0 because there is no segment to the left.
Fx live. Force x component from live load on segment to left.
Fz live. Force z component from live load on segment to left.
My live. Moment at intrados, about y axis, from live load on segment to left.
Fx passive. Additional Fx from passive pressure for segment to left.
Fx total. Cumulative total Fx at segment boundary.
Fz total. Cumulative total Fx at segment boundary.
My total. Cumulative total My at segment boundary intrados. Note that moments are shifted to new location at each step of accumulation.
Thrust in. Offset of inner edge of zone of thrust from intrados point along segment boundary.
Thrust out. Offset of outer edge of zone of thrust from intrados point along segment boundary. Line of thrust lies at the midpoint between thrust in and thrust out.
Extra[dos]-thrust. Offset from extrados to outer edge of zone of thrust.
Unlabelled. Rows are marked with *** where the zone of thrust is touches or falls outside the extrados.

All forces and moments are per unit (metre) width.

Some applications

Thrust at springings

The horizontal component of thrust at the springings (per metre width) can be read directly from the first and last rows of the span data, in Fx total. Similarly for vertical loads from Fz total. These results are subject to any thrust adjustment applied.