Influence of nodal rigid zone on mechanics characteristic of oblique-pulling truss bridge

In order to analyze the influence of nodal rigid zone on the mechanics characteristic of oblique-pulling truss bridge,two finite element models are presented.One model takes the nodal rigid zones into considerationand the other one does not. By the comparison between the two calculationresults, the effect rules of elevation and internal force during both theconstruction stage and the service stage that caused by the nodal rigid zones are obtained. The results show that the effect of the nodal rigid zones on the elevation is small in both construction and service stages. Theeffects to the axial force of the structure in the service stage is so small that they are all less than 3%, but the effects on the moment of the lower chords is so pronounced that it can not be neglected, which can reach 20%.