Numerical Evaluation of the Long-Term Behavior of Precast Continuous Bridge Decks
Publication: Journal of Bridge Engineering
Volume 17, Issue 1
Abstract
Continuous bridge decks constructed with precast girders undergo significant stress changes caused by the concrete delayed deformations because of creep and shrinkage. These effects must be taken into account in the design of new structures. The validation of the analysis procedures should ideally be carried out through the comparison between the calculations and the results observed in real structures. However, experimental results of the construction and long-term behavior of these structures are scarce. The construction of a major bridge in Portugal has provided the opportunity to monitor one such structure. This paper presents the monitoring campaign and the analysis strategy that was developed to assess the long-term variation of strains and stresses in precast continuous bridges. The numerical analysis was validated by comparison with the results observed in the real bridge. The consequences of carrying out simplified analyses based on limited information about the concrete properties and the construction sequence are also evaluated.
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Acknowledgments
The writers acknowledge the support from the Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology through the Research Project “UNSPECIFIEDPTDC/ECM/68430/2006—Continuous precast bridge decks for railway bridges: Numerical and experimental assessment” and the Ph.D. grants UNSPECIFIEDSFRH/BD/29125/2006 and UNSPECIFIEDSFRH/BD/25339/2005 attributed to the first and second writers. Support from the contractor consortium, TACE, and the infrastructure owner, BRISA, is also gratefully acknowledged.
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Information & Authors
Information
Published In
Journal of Bridge Engineering
Volume 17 • Issue 1 • January 2012
Pages: 89 - 96
Copyright
© 2012 American Society of Civil Engineers.
History
Received: May 13, 2010
Accepted: Feb 14, 2011
Published online: Feb 15, 2011
Published in print: Jan 1, 2012
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