Short Span Steel Bridges 
Free Steel Bridge Plate Girder Design Course: 6-Part Live Webinar Series (Starts Dec. 2)
Photo Credit: DeLongs, Inc.
Back by Popular Demand! Take your bridge design skills to the next level in this free six-part webinar series led by Dr. Michael Barker, University of Wyoming. Learn step-by-step how to design a composite plate girder bridge and earn a certificate of completion in this brand-new course from the SSSBA.
SSSBA. Note: This is the same course offered in September/October 2025. Due to the overwhelming response and extended waitlist from the initial session, we are offering it again in December!
Title: Steel Bridge Education Lectures (6-Part Series) – Simply-Supported Composite Plate Girder Design
Dates: December 2, 4, 9, 11, 16, 18, 2025 (Tuesdays and Thursdays)
Time: 1:00-2:00 pm ET (same time for all dates)
Cost: Free for practicing engineers, faculty, students and others who may be interested in steel bridge design
Format: Lectures will be delivered live, via Zoom. Registered participants will have the opportunity to view lectures synchronously (in real time) and asynchronously (recorded version).
Continuing Education: Only participants who successfully complete the entire 6-part education series will receive a Certificate of Completion from the University of Wyoming.
Registration: Registration is very limited and available through the University of Wyoming’s WyoLearn LMS. Full capacity for the previous session was reached in less than 24-hours.
Note before registering: This is a serious steel bridge design education series and attending only some of the lectures does not meet expectations. See “Course Prerequisites and Attendee Expectations” below before registering for this course.
Sponsors:
Co-Sponsored by the University of Wyoming and Short Span Steel Bridge Alliance.
Overview:
The University of Wyoming and the Short Span Steel Bridge Alliance (SSSBA) are co-hosting a six-part webinar series for bridge owners, designers, faculty, and students interested in advancing their knowledge of steel bridge design.
Dr. Michael Barker, P.E., Professor of Civil & Architectural Engineering at the University of Wyoming, will lead participants step-by-step through the design of a simply-supported composite plate girder bridge using the AASHTO LRFD Bridge Design Specifications (10th Edition).
Across six modules, attendees will explore topics ranging from trial bridge design and load considerations to strength design, serviceability, fatigue, constructability, and final detailing. Each session combines practical design examples with technical insights to give participants a comprehensive understanding of plate girder bridge design.
ONLY participants who complete all six modules and quizzes will earn a Certificate of Completion (6 hours of continuing education) from the University of Wyoming.
Course Prerequisites and Attendee Expectations:
This course was created for practicing engineers, faculty, students, and others who may be interested in steel bridge design. It is a free, noncredit course.
Prerequisite knowledge includes LRFD Steel Design, AISC Steel Design of Flexural Members, Composite Flexural Members, and Plate Girder Properties and Behavior.
- Attendees are expected to attend synchronously (or asynchronously) and complete each of the 6 modules.
- Attendees are expected to complete the Certificate.
- This is a serious steel bridge design education series and attending only some of the lectures does not meet expectations.
Course Delivery:
University of Wyoming WyoLearn Learning Management System (LMS) Canvas is used for the course shell and the synchronous lectures are delivered by Zoom. Registration, communication, quizzes, asynchronous lecture videos, and certificate of completion are handled through the WyoLearn LMS.
Required Readings:
Each registrant can complete all lectures by being present for the live lecture or watching the recorded lecture. All six quizzes must be complete prior to awarding of the certificate of completion.
Webinar Schedule (all times are 1:00 to 2:00 pm Eastern Time)
December 2
Module 1: Introduction & Trial Bridge Design
- Objective and prerequisites; the Short Span Steel Bridge Alliance and eSPAN140; types of steel bridges; components of a bridge; and developing a trial bridge design.
December 4
Module 2: Bridge Design
- AASHTO Specifications & Guides; Load & Resistance Factor Design; provisions & requirements; self-weight loads and vehicular loads on bridges
December 9
Module 3: Bridge Analysis Force Effects & Design Limit States
- Dead loads; HL93 Loading; Fatigue Loading; Live Load Distribution; Nominal Force Effects; and AASHTO Design Limit States
December 11
Module 4: Strength Design
- Load Combinations; Strength I Limit State; Plate Girder Behavior; Flexure Design; and Shear Design
December 16
Module 5: Serviceability, Fatigue & Construction Design
- A Service II Limit State; Live Load Deflections; Fatigue Limit State; Constructability Limit State; and Summary of Plate Girder Design
December 18
Module 6: Detailing the Plate Girder & Final Thoughts
- Shear Stud Design; Stiffeners & Cross-Frames; NSBA LRFD SIMON Design Software; and Summary
Additional Information
Quizzes:
Quizzes for each lecture are multiple-choice, true/false, and successful completion is 4 correct out of 5. Quizzes may be re-taken for successful completion.
Certificate of Completion:
A Certificate of Completion for the Steel Bridge Education Lectures: Simply-Supported Composite Plate Girder Design from the University of Wyoming and the Short Span Steel Bridge Alliance can be downloaded upon completion of the 6 Lectures and successful performance on the quizzes for each lecture. The Certificate shows 6 hours of continuing education.
Policies:
Please review the University of Wyoming’s Student Code of Conduct.
Changes to Syllabus:
This syllabus is a guide and may be altered.
Instructor Biography and Contact Information
Dr. Michael Barker, University of Wyoming
Dr. Michael Barker is a Professor of Civil & Architectural Engineering at the University of Wyoming. He is also the Director of Education for the Short Span Steel Bridge Alliance. His primary research pertains to steel bridges, experimental testing, bridge design specifications, bridge field testing, high performance steel and reliability analyses of structures.
Dr. Michael Barker, PE
Professor, Civil & Architectural Engineering
University of Wyoming
Barker@uwyo.edu
Questions?
Contact Dr. Michael Barker (Barker@uwyo.edu) or Dan Snyder (Dsnyder@steel.org), director of the Short Span Steel Bridge Alliance.
About the Organization
The Short Span Steel Bridge Alliance (SSSBA) is a group of bridge and buried soil steel structure industry leaders who have joined together to provide educational information and design tools for the cost-effective design and construction of short span steel bridges in installations up to 140 feet in length. Over the past decade, nearly 25,000 bridge owners and designers have learned about the advantages of short span steel bridges in SSSBA workshops and conferences throughout North America.
Does the SSSBA offer educational opportunities?
Yes! The SSSBA offers educational opportunities to students and professionals:
Professionals: The SSSBA provides complimentary half-day or full-day workshops on short span steel bridge design to states, counties, and design firms. Topics covered include practical and cost-effective steel bridge design and fabrication with eSPAN140, press-brake-formed steel tub girders, steel buried bridge design, galvanized coating solutions, and economical design with case studies, and more. The workshops can take place virtually or in-person, compliments of the steel industry. Learn more.
Students: The University of Wyoming and the Short Span Steel Bridge Alliance created a free 6-part live-lecture educational series to cover the many aspects of designing, fabricating, and constructing steel bridges. All students who successfully complete the education series will receive a Certificate of Completion from the University of Wyoming. Learn more.
Speakers: The SSSBA provides expert speakers to present topics of interest on the cost-effective design and construction of short span steel bridges. If you need a speaker for your next event, contact the SSSBA.
Events
Free 4-Part Quarterly Webinar Series: Steel Bridge Playbook (Starts Feb. 24)
This free, four-part quarterly webinar series delivers expert insights on steel bridge design, preservation, and innovation. Explore essential design resources, corrosion protection through galvanizing, accelerated construction methods, and real-world case studies to gain practical guidance for every steel bridge project. Sponsored by SSSBA and AGA.
Events
SSSBA to Present on Accelerated Steel Bridge Design at Mid Atlantic Quality Assurance Workshop (Feb. 9-11)
The SSSBA will participate in the 2026 Mid-Atlantic Quality Assurance Workshop in Hershey, Pennsylvania. Don’t miss Dr. Michael Barker’s presentation on Feb. 10, 3:00–3:40 p.m. ET, highlighting practical approaches for cost-efficient, accelerated short span steel bridges.
Events
New Jersey Short Span Steel Bridge Workshop (Feb. 12 – Trenton, NJ)
Sponsored by the SSSBA, the New Jersey workshop offers practical, up-to-date guidance on cost-effective, durable steel bridge solutions to help local agencies address infrastructure needs and make the most of limited resources.