Eliminating Deck Joints Using Debonded Link Slabs: Research and Field Tests in Ontario
This article has a reply.
VIEW THE REPLYThis article has a reply.
VIEW THE REPLYPublication: Journal of Bridge Engineering
Volume 18, Issue 8
Abstract
One of the main factors affecting the durability of bridge structures is the presence of expansion joints at bridge support locations. The inability of current joint systems to provide reliable, long-term, leak-proof performance generally leads to early leakage of chloride-contaminated water through these joints, thereby causing premature corrosion in the deck elements below. This problem is particularly evident in older-type multispan bridges in which the girders are simply supported at the piers and are separated by expansion joints or simple paved-over joints. To address this problem, the Ministry of Transportation of Ontario (MTO) has recently rehabilitated a number of bridge decks using a debonded link slab system to replace the deck joints at the pier locations. To get a better understanding of the performance and reliability of this new rehabilitative technique, MTO recently carried out an experimental research study of the long-term performance of the system on scale test models that were subjected to extensive cyclic loading in the laboratory. At the same time, it carried out a load test of a recently rehabilitated structure to study its structural behavior both before and after the link slab was constructed. The test structure was instrumented with sensors that measured deflections and strains in the link slab and girders. This paper describes the experimental research study and the behavioral load tests that were carried out, and discusses the results obtained. The experimental study showed that the long-term performance of the link slab was not affected by the extensive cyclic loading to which the model was subjected, whereas the load testing of the test structure showed that it satisfied the serviceability limit state requirements of the Canadian Highway Bridge Design Code, thus validating the design methodology of the system.
Get full access to this article
View all available purchase options and get full access to this article.
Acknowledgments
The authors acknowledge the assistance and dedicated work of the staff of the Bridge Research section in carrying out the instrumentation and gathering of test data during the experimental research study and the load testing of the structure. In particular, the efforts of Howard Sahsuvar, Ping Kang, and Nebojsa Lukic are gratefully acknowledged. The authors also acknowledge the assistance of Leong Lim of West Region in facilitating the load tests.
References
Au, A., and Lam, C. (2008). “Testing of the Highway 401/Mull Road Underpass.” Bridge Office Rep. (BRO-034), Bridge Office, Ministry of Transportation, St. Catharines, ON, Canada.
Au, A., and Lam, C. (2009a). “Experimental investigation of link slab performance using scaled-down models.” Bridge Office Rep. (BRO-041), Bridge Office, Ministry of Transportation, St. Catharines, ON, Canada.
Au, A., and Lam, C. (2009b). “Testing of Camlachie Road Underpass (after link slab construction).” Bridge Office Rep. (BRO-045), Bridge Office, Ministry of Transportation, St. Catharines, ON, Canada.
Au, A., and Lam, C. (2011). “Displacement compatibility in debonded link slab design.” Bridge Office Rep. (BRO-055), Bridge Office, Ministry of Transportation, St. Catharines, ON, Canada.
Au, A., Lam, C., and Tharmabala, B. (2010). “Validating the design methodology for debonded concrete link slab system through bridge load testing.” Proc., 8th Int. Conf. on Short and Medium Span Bridges, Niagara Falls, St. Catharines, ON, Canada.
Au, J., and Lam, C. (2006). “Testing of Camlachie Road Underpass (before link slab construction).” Bridge Office Rep. (BRO-044), Bridge Office, Ministry of Transportation, St. Catharines, ON, Canada.
Caner, A. (1996). “Analysis and design of jointless bridge decks supported by simple-span girders.” Ph.D. dissertation, North Carolina State Univ., Dept. of Civil Eng., Raleigh, NC.
Caner, A., and Zia, P. (1998). “Behavior and design of link slab for jointless bridge decks.” PCI J., (May-June), 68–80.
Canadian Standards Association (CSA). (2000). “Canadian highway bridge design code.” CAN/CSA-S6-00, Toronto, Canada.
Canadian Standards Association (CSA) (2006). “Canadian highway bridge design code.” CAN/CSA-S6-06, Toronto, Canada.
El-Safty, A. K. (1994). “Behavior of jointless bridge decks.” Ph.D. dissertation, North Carolina State Univ., Dept. of Civil Eng., Raleigh, NC.
Gastal F.P.S.L. (1987). “Instantaneous and time-dependent response and strength of jointless bridge beams.” Ph.D. dissertation, North Carolina State Univ., Dept. of Civil Eng., Raleigh, NC.
Kim, Y. Y., Fischer, G., and Li, V. (2004). “Performance of bridge deck link slab designed with ductile engineered cementitious composite.” ACI Struct. J., 101(6), 792–801.
Li, V., et al. (2003). Durable link slabs for jointless bridge decks based on strain-hardening cementitious composites. Univ. of Michigan Report RC-1438 for Michigan Department of Transportation, MDOT, Construction and Technology Division, Lansing, MI.
Okeil, A. M., and El-Safty, A. (2005). “Partial continuity in bridge girders with jointless decks.” Pract. Period. Struct. Des. Constr., 10(4), 229–238.
SAP2000 11 [Computer software]. Berkeley, CA, Computer and Structures, Inc.
S-FRAME 7.02 [Computer software]. Richmond, BC, Canada, S-FRAME Software, Inc.
Ulku, E., Attanayake, U., and Aktan, H. (2009). “Jointless bridge deck with link slabs: design for durability.” Proc., TRB 88th Ann. Meeting, Transportation Research Board, Washington, DC.
Wing, K. M., and Kowalsky, M. J. (2005). “Behavior, analysis, and design of an instrumented link slab bridge.” J. Bridge Eng., 10(3), 331–334.
Zia, P., Caner, A., and El-Safty, A. K. (1995). “Jointless bridge decks.” Research Rep. No. FHWA/NC/95-006, Center for Transportation Engineering Studies, North Carolina State Univ., Raleigh, NC.
Information & Authors
Information
Published In
Copyright
© 2013 American Society of Civil Engineers.
History
Received: Nov 16, 2011
Accepted: May 16, 2012
Published online: Jul 15, 2013
Published in print: Aug 1, 2013
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.