Techno Press
Techno Press

Structural Engineering and Mechanics
  Volume 40, Number 3, November10 2011 , pages 297-313
DOI: https://doi.org/10.12989/sem.2011.40.3.297
 


A method for evaluation of longitudinal joint connections of decked precast concrete girder bridges
Matthew Z. Smith, Yue Li and William M. Bulleit

 
Abstract
    As bridge conditions in the United States continue to deteriorate, rapid bridge replacement procedures are needed. Decked precast prestressed concrete (DPPC) girders are used for rapid bridge construction because the bridge deck is precast with the girders eliminating the need for a cast-in-place slab. One of the concerns with using DPPC girders as a bridge construction option is the durability of the longitudinal joints between girders. The objectives of this paper were to propose a method to use a spring element modeling procedure for representing welded steel connector assemblies between adjacent girders in DPPC girder bridges, perform a preliminary study of bridge performance under multiple loading scenarios and bridge configurations, and discuss model flexibility for accommodating future field data for model verification. The spring elements have potential to represent the contribution of joint grout materials by altering the spring stiffness.
 
Key Words
    bridges; concrete; finite element model; spring elements; welded shear connectors
 
Address
Matthew Z. Smith, Yue Li and William M. Bulleit: Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Michigan Technological University, 1400 Townsend Dr., Houghton, MI 49931-1295, USA
 

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