Investigation of the Mechanical Features of Steel–Concrete Composite Girder Rigid Frame Bridges with V-Shaped Piers during Construction Stages

Round 1

Reviewer 1 Report

The authors discussed steel-concrete composite girder rigid frame bridge with V-shaped pier as a new type of bridge structure. The manuscript is clear and in the journal scope. However, the following points should be considered prior to publication and then introduced adequate imrovments:

(1)    Abstract. Abstracts were not formatted according to the paper's instructions. There should be a summary of both qualitative and quantitative findings in this section.

(2)    Introduction. There is a lack of clarity in the introduction. A description of any relevant earlier work should be included in this section of the paper. Several important works in the field of modern engineering structures can be found in the mdpi database, for instance:

- „The Specificity of Shaping and Execution of Monolithic Pocket Foundations (PF) in Hall Buildings”, Buildings 2022,

-„ Effects of Web Height Reduction and Skew Angle Variation on Behavior of RC Inverted T-Beams”, Buildings 2021.

 (3)   Figures. Please improve/enlarge the text in the figures including charts. The text is very small at the moment.

 (4) Discussion. There was not enough discussion of the results of the study. An appropriate statement of the findings must be included in each section.

 (5)    Conclusions. Please make sure your conclusions section underscores the scientific value added to your paper, and/or the applicability of your findings/results, as indicated previously. Please revise your conclusion part into more detail. You should enhance your contributions, and limitations, underscore the scientific value added of your paper, and/or the applicability of your findings/results and future study in this session.

(6)    References. When revising a manuscript, authors must carefully review the MDPI manuscript template. For example, some references are in the wrong format. Moreover, refrences section is rather narrow.

 Minor editing of English language required.

Author Response

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Author Response File: Author Response.pdf

Reviewer 2 Report

This paper investigates the mechanical characteristics of a novel steel-concrete composite girder rigid frame bridge with V-shaped piers, marking the first study of its kind in China. Through finite element modeling and simulation of the construction process, it analyzes the stress and deflection of the bridge at each stage, providing valuable insights into the influence of construction techniques on the overall structural integrity. The findings offer crucial guidance for the design and construction of similar bridges, emphasizing their significance in civil engineering practice. The reviewer found the novelty in this paper. But some comments provided to improve the paper as follows:

1. In Introduction, the description of relevant research paper is weak. The finite element method is used in the paper, but the author did not explain what have been done by other researcher using FEM. The FEM is widely applied in many engineering applications. Not only in bridge structures, but also in marine application. The FEM is strong in assessment of ship strength, see:

Putranto et al. 

Ultimate strength assessment of stiffened panels using Equivalent Single Layer approach under combined in-plane compression and shear

Putranto et al.

Application of Equivalent Single Layer Approach for Ultimate Strength Analyses of Ship Hull Girder

2. The author should modify the explanation in each sentence. It is found some plagiarism in each part of the paper. 

3. Related to Section 4, how do the mechanical characteristics of the bridge, incorporating both V-shaped pier rigid frame and composite continuous beam elements, affect its overall performance?

4. In Section 4.1, What are the main factors contributing to the abrupt changes in stress at specific positions along the steel beam, particularly at the consolidation points of the bridge piers? and What are the implications of the maximum tensile and compressive stresses observed in the steel girders (13.1 MPa and 12.6 MPa, respectively) for the structural integrity and performance of the bridge?

5. In Conclusions, what engineering considerations are important for optimizing stress distribution and structural performance in the bridge, particularly in relation to the design and construction of the pier sections? 

Author Response

Please see the attachment.

Author Response File: Author Response.pdf

Round 2

Reviewer 1 Report

The article looks much better. However, not all of the reviewer's comments were included in the revised version. Therefore, in order for the article to be publishable, it is recommended to take into account below suggestion, ie:

 (2)    Introduction. There is a lack of clarity in the introduction. A description of any relevant earlier work should be included in this section of the paper. Several important works in the field of modern engineering structures can be found in the mdpi database, for instance:

- „The Specificity of Shaping and Execution of Monolithic Pocket Foundations (PF) in Hall Buildings”, Buildings 2022,

-„ Effects of Web Height Reduction and Skew Angle Variation on Behavior of RC Inverted T-Beams”, Buildings 2021.

The refrences section is still narrow. The literature references given are also not discussed.

 (3)   Figures. Please improve/enlarge the text in the figures including charts. The text is very smallat the moment.

The numerical values on the scales with stress values are still illegible. They should be enlarged.

Minor editing of English language required.

Author Response

Please see the attachment

Author Response File: Author Response.pdf