Experimental and Numerical Evaluation of Unbonded Posttensioning Tendons Subjected to Wire Breaks
Publication: Journal of Bridge Engineering
Volume 21, Issue 10
Abstract
The development of corrosion as a result of tendon exposure to moisture or corrosive media often leads to wire fractures. Such fractures in unbonded tendons are expected to induce global strand and anchor response through the progression of prestress loss from the break to the end anchors. Radial pressure, interwire friction, and lateral confinement, however, affect the magnitude of prestress loss carried to the anchors and have important implications on breakage detectability by tendon monitoring methods that rely on anchor response. This paper presents an experimental investigation of tendon behavior after successive wire cuts in confined and unconfined conditions and demonstrates the effects of confinement on stress recovery. In addition to analysis of strand prestress loss and axial strain along individual wires, the strand’s dynamic postbreakage response was examined. Moreover, the effects of deviators on stress recovery were tested with a multistrand tendon specimen. A finite-element model of a seven-wire strand was developed and experimentally validated. Both experimental and numerical results showed significant prestress loss even at distant locations from wire breaks and confirm a correlation between wire breakage and modal properties, which can be a useful damage indicator.
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Acknowledgments
Sincere appreciation is extended to Bruno Vasconcelos, David Wagner, Stephen Eudy, Paul Tighe, and David Allen at the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) M. H. Ansley Structures Research Center for their support throughout the experimental investigation. Assistance from Richard DeLorenzo and Thomas Frank at the FDOT State Materials Office and Alex Esposito at the Powell Family Structures and Materials Laboratory at the University of Florida is also acknowledged. The presented research was financially supported by the FDOT (Contract No. BDV31-977-15). The research findings reported in this paper represent those of the authors and not necessarily the sponsors of the project.
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Information
Published In
Journal of Bridge Engineering
Volume 21 • Issue 10 • October 2016
Copyright
© 2016 American Society of Civil Engineers.
History
Received: Nov 5, 2015
Accepted: Mar 23, 2016
Published online: Apr 18, 2016
Discussion open until: Sep 18, 2016
Published in print: Oct 1, 2016
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