Removal of Diaphragms from Three-Span Steel Girder Bridge
This article has a reply.
VIEW THE REPLYPublication: Journal of Bridge Engineering
Volume 4, Issue 1
Abstract
Many multigirder steel bridges built before 1985 are experiencing distortion-induced fatigue cracking at diaphragm-girder connections. A means of eliminating the cyclic stresses that cause those fatigue problems is to remove the interior diaphragms (diaphragms not at the girder supports). The effects of removing interior channel diaphragms from an existing three-span bridge with rolled steel girders are reported in this paper. The effects of removing the diaphragms are evaluated using field measurements of girder stresses and deflections made before and after the diaphragms were taken out. Results from tests with trucks of known weight indicate that removing the diaphragms results in increases up to 15% in the maximum bottom flange stresses at the most heavily loaded girder. Comparisons of measured and calculated stresses show that the conservatism of common design practice is not significantly reduced by removing diaphragms, and the effects of removing interior diaphragms are judged insignificant.
Get full access to this article
View all available purchase options and get full access to this article.
References
1.
Azizinamini, A., Kathol, S., and Beacham, M. W. ( 1994). “Steel girder bridge design: Can it be simplified.” Modern steel constr., 34(9), 44– 47.
2.
Bakht, B., and Moses, F. (1988). “Lateral distribution factors for highway bridges.”J. Struct. Engrg., ASCE, 114(8), 1785–1803.
3.
Fisher, J. W., Jin, J., Wagner, D. C., and Yen, B. T. ( 1990). “Distortion induced cracking in steel bridge members.” NCHRP Rep. 336, Transportation Research Board, National Research Council, Washington, D.C.
4.
Interim specifications for highway bridges . (1985). American Association of State Transportation and Highway Officials, Washington, D.C.
5.
Keating, P. B., and Crozier, A. R. ( 1992). “Evaluation and repair of fatigue damage to Midland County bridges.” Rep. TX-92/1313-1F, Texas Transportation Institute, Texas A&M University, College Station, Tex.
6.
LRFD bridge design specifications . (1994). 1st Ed., American Association of State Transportation and Highway Officials, Washington, D.C.
7.
Moore, M., Strand, K. A., Grubb, M. A., and Cayes, L. R. ( 1990). “Wheel-load distribution results from the AISI-FHWA model bridge study.” Transp. Res. Rec. 1275, Transportation Research Board, National Research Council, Washington, D.C., 34–44.
8.
Newmark, N. M., Siess, C. P., and Penman, R. P. ( 1946). “Studies of slab and beam highway bridges.” Bull. Ser. No. 363, University of Illinois Engineering Experiment Station, Urbana, Ill.
9.
Stallings, J. M., Cousins, T. E., and Stafford, T. E. ( 1996a). “Effects of removing diaphragms from a steel girder bridge.” Transp. Res. Rec. 1541, Transportation Research Board, National Research Council, Washington, D.C., 183–188.
10.
Stallings, J. M., Cousins, T. E., and Tedesco, J. W. ( 1996b). “Fatigue of diaphragm-girder connections.” Final Rep. RP 930-307, Auburn University Highway Research Center, Auburn University, Auburn, Ala.
11.
Standard specifications for highway bridges . 15th Ed., American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials, Washington, D.C.
12.
Walker, W. H. ( 1987). “Lateral load distribution in multi-girder bridges.” Engrg. J., First Quarter, 21–28.
13.
Zokaie, T., Osterkamp, T. A., and Imbsen, R. A. ( 1991). “Distribution of wheel loads on highway bridges.” Rep. NCHRP Proj. 12-26, Transportation Research Board, National Research Council, Washington, D.C.
Information & Authors
Information
Published In
History
Received: Jul 11, 1996
Published online: Feb 1, 1999
Published in print: Feb 1999
Authors
Metrics & Citations
Metrics
Citations
Download citation
If you have the appropriate software installed, you can download article citation data to the citation manager of your choice. Simply select your manager software from the list below and click Download.