Defining and Editing a Bridge with a Bridge Table

You can use an Excel file to create a bridge and import it by the Bridge Design Assistant.

There is associativity between the table and the 3D model, therefore, when you edit the table, the 3D model is updated automatically. You can also export the modified table and share it with other designers.

Before you begin:
  • Create or open a model.
  • Create a bridge layout.
Note: When you select the following Deck Isostaticity modes, Isostatic or Hyperstatic, can be ignored for the table-driven bridge creation.
  1. To import a bridge table, click Import Bridge in the Pattern Table section.

    When you imported a bridge table, the related bridge configurations (support/deck position definition, type, object type, parameter inputs, etc.) are taken into account if the configurations are in a valid format for a table driven bridge.

  2. Optional: To search already imported tables, enter the "vpmdoc" criteria in the Search box.
  3. Select an Excel file.

    After the selection of the Excel table, the table name is visible in the box and two more commands appear next it: Export Table and Edit Table

  4. To create a bridge table, click .
    With this command, you create a table from the bridge layout: The table name is visible in the box and two more commands appear next it: Export Table and Edit Table .For more information about formats, see About Pattern Tables.

    The table can contain two sheets: one sheet to define supports and one sheet to define decks. The column headers are: Name, Type, Object Type, Configuration, PatternDistance (m) and DistanceBetween (m) and Station, SkewAngle (deg), and Deck Height (m).

    Table 1. Definition of the common columns
    Name It designates the name of specification features. The name of the support or deck in both tables that can be defined by the user.
    Type The deck, pier, or abutment in the bridge layout. The type is assigned to specification features.
    Object Type UDF object type. The object type is assigned to specification features.
    Configuration The object type configuration. It can be empty if the object type does not contain configurations.

    The deck sheet contains deck component specifications.

    Table 2. Definition of the specific columns for support sheet
    Pattern Distance Position along curve.
    Longitudinal Delta and Lateral Delta Not mandatory. When you export a bridge design, it does not contain these two columns. If they exist, they will be used as in the standard pattern.
    Deck Height or Vertical Delta Defines the vertical offset value based on deck height for the support. Deck Height is defined with positive values while Vertical Delta has negative values.
    Skew Angle Support orientation.

    If the Skew Angle column is present in the Table, global and local support orientations are table driven. Similar rules are applied to other impacted components such as the global object type table.
  5. To edit directly the imported bridge table inside the 3DEXPERIENCE, click Edit Table .
  6. To save the table as an external file in the database, click Export Table .