Flexural Lateral Load Distribution Characteristics of Sandwich Plate System Bridges: Parametric Investigation
Publication: Journal of Bridge Engineering
Volume 15, Issue 6
Abstract
The sandwich plate system (SPS) is a relatively new bridge deck system that consists of steel face plates bonded to a rigid polyurethane core. The decks are thin, lightweight, and modular in design and can be tailored to numerous applications. This system provides an excellent alternative for the rapid construction and rehabilitation of bridge decks. With any new system, there exists some uncertainty in the design procedures as a result of the limited population for comparison. This paper presents the results of a finite-element parametric investigation of the lateral load distribution characteristics of SPS bridges. The parametric study primarily focuses on the influence of deck thickness on distribution behavior as compared to conventional reinforced concrete decks. Results from the study demonstrate that the inherent flexibility of a thin SPS deck yields larger distribution factors (up to 20%) than a typical reinforced concrete deck, but these distribution factors can still be conservatively estimated with current AASHTO LRFD methods. Additional comparisons indicate that the distribution behavior of SPS bridges can also be estimated with the equations proposed by the NCHRP 12-62 project.
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Information & Authors
Information
Published In
Journal of Bridge Engineering
Volume 15 • Issue 6 • November 2010
Pages: 684 - 694
Copyright
© 2010 ASCE.
History
Received: Apr 22, 2009
Accepted: Feb 12, 2010
Published online: Feb 15, 2010
Published in print: Nov 2010
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