Collapse during Construction of a Precast Girder Bridge
Publication: Journal of Performance of Constructed Facilities
Volume 20, Issue 2
Abstract
This paper describes the collapse during construction of a precast concrete girder bridge crossing Highway 15, north of Montréal. The bearing conditions for the girders at the time of collapse are discussed. The tie rods that were used to restrain the movement of the girder top flanges were tested to determine their effective stiffness and strength. Rotational and sliding tests were also performed on the pot bearing units. These experimental results were used in an analytical study to confirm the sequence of collapse of the girders. Bracing requirements during construction for precast girder bridges supported on pot bearings are discussed.
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Acknowledgments
The writers wish to acknowledge the contributions of the other members of the committee of experts, J. Labbé, J. Prévost, and J. Grenier, from the Ministry of Transportation of Quebec. The writers are grateful to the Ministry of Transportation of Quebec and the Police Department of the City of Laval for providing access to the site and to all of the data required for this study. Thanks are extended to the Emergency crews including the Sureté du Québec, the Police Department of the City of Laval, and the Fire Department of Montréal for the photos in Fig. 2. The technical and research staff at École Polytechnique and McGill University provided valuable assistance in the testing programs.
References
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Information & Authors
Information
Published In
Journal of Performance of Constructed Facilities
Volume 20 • Issue 2 • May 2006
Pages: 113 - 125
Copyright
© 2006 ASCE.
History
Received: Oct 18, 2004
Accepted: Jan 11, 2005
Published online: May 1, 2006
Published in print: May 2006
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