From ABAQUS to Bridge Analysis – Without Starting from Scratch

The challenge of moving into bridge engineering

You're already an advanced user of ABAQUS – a powerful and versatile tool for finite element analysis. You know how to model complex structures, script your workflows, and handle advanced contact problems. But now you're facing something new: bridge analysis.

Bridge analysis comes with a whole new set of requirements – not only technical but also code-based. Design Codes with National regulations like Eurocode demand specific loads, combinations, and verification methods. While it’s certainly possible to do all of this in ABAQUS, you also know it would require hundreds of lines of code, custom tools, and a lot of manual work to complete such a project in ABAQUS.

So how do you find an alternative that fits you – someone who doesn’t want to give up technical control, but also wants to work efficiently according to industry standards?

Bridging the gap with familiar tools

We’ve met many users like you. You’re comfortable in ABAQUS and may even enjoy scripting in Python to automate postprocessing or generate load combinations from multiple analyses. But when it comes to bridge analysis, the scope can quickly become overwhelming. Especially when it comes to defining moving loads, handling code-based combinations, or calculating the correct design actions.

Wouldn’t it be great if there was software that used the power of ABAQUS’s numerical solver, graphical interface, thorough documentation and scripting capabilities – but also had dedicated modules tailored for these bridge-specific challenges? That’s where BRIGADE/Plus comes in.

Solution: BRIGADE/Plus – for those who want the best of both worlds

Familiar Interface, specialized functionality

BRIGADE/Plus is built on the same interface as ABAQUS CAE. You define geometry, analysis steps, loads, interactions – just like you're used to. But here, you also get dedicated modules fully focused on bridge engineering.

• Live load module – apply moving loads from road or rail traffic using predefined load models according to EUROCODE, national annexes, or other design codes.
• Load combination module – automatically generate load combinations based on design codes – no more manual setup.
• Dynamic load module – apply high-speed train loads according to Eurocode and analyse the dynamic effects arising in the structure. Here you can learn more about best practices for dynamic analysis of bridges.
• Prestress module – model prestressing tendons and post-tensioning without writing a single line of code.
• Reinforcement module – extract code-compliant design forces.
• Read more about the features and capabilities in BRIGADE/Plus here.

Unique BRIGADE/Plus Modules

Working with solids? No problem

If you prefer working with solid element models – for example, to get more accurate stress distributions or model complex geometries – but need to extract sectional forces, Extended Free Body Cut is the solution. It works like the Free Body Cut tool in ABAQUS, but here you can also extract moments and sectional forces after load combinations. Ideal for integrating with design workflows.

Streamlined postprocessing

If you're used to scripting custom postprocessing tools in ABAQUS, that is still possible in BRIGADE/Plus. But there are also BRIGADE-specific tools to facilitate the postprocessing for you. With the Plot Control you can quickly examine the results along different paths in the model and with the Report Generator you export the results efficiently to an external document handling program. 

Summary

BRIGADE/Plus is developed for bridge engineers (by bridge engineers) – but feels familiar to anyone with a technical background and experience in ABAQUS. You get the power of ABAQUS, combined with a layer of smart modules that make bridge analysis faster, safer, and compliant with design codes

Want to learn more about how existing TECHNIA customers are working with BRIGADE/Plus? Read more here:

👉 Optimizing Movable and Concrete Bridge Design using BRIGADE/Plus at STING

👉 Optimizing FEA of Bridges at ELU

👉 Sweco’s Scalable Solutions for Bridge Engineering and Green Transformation