Field Destructive Testing of a Reinforced Concrete Bridge Deck Slab
Publication: Journal of Bridge Engineering
Volume 25, Issue 9
Abstract
Many bridge deck slabs in Europe are rated insufficient load-carrying capacity in shear and punching according to the Eurocodes. In the past, assessment models have mainly been developed from laboratory studies that simplified real-world conditions. Large-scale or full-scale field experiments are needed to validate more recent improved models. The goal of this study is to calibrate improved models using data obtained from a full-scale bridge deck slab shear test; the objective is to exploit and share our findings and to make recommendations for the planning, design, and implementation of such a complex experiment. Full-scale destructive tests of a 55-year-old reinforced concrete bridge deck slab on prestressed concrete girders were conducted to calibrate a model used to assess existing bridges. Concrete properties were also tested to evaluate the condition of the bridge. Results show that both the load-carrying capacity of the bridge deck slab and the strength of the concrete were much greater than were assumed in design. Finite-element analysis of the parameters governing loading positions and prestress in the girders showed that arch action and boundary condition simplification had important effects on shear distribution.
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Acknowledgments
The authors would like to acknowledge financial support from The Swedish Transport Administration (Trafikverket). The authors thank Luossavaara-Kiirunavaara AB (LKAB) and Hjalmar Lundbohm Research Centre (HLRC) for supporting the experiment, as well as the entire research team from Luleå University of Technology (LTU), who collaborated in carrying out the entire intensive experiment. The authors also thank their colleagues in the Swedish Universities of the Built Environment, Chalmers University of Technology, Royal Institute of Technology (KTH), Lund University (LTH), and Luleå University of Technology (LTU) for their fruitful cooperation in the project.
Notation
The following symbols are used in this paper:
- as
- area of reinforcement;
- av
- shear span;
- b
- effective width for one-way shear and punching shear resistance;
- bL
- width of the load;
- bf
- width of the transverse strip is based on TDOK;
- bw
- effective width for one-way shear resistance;
- b0
- length of control perimeter for the calculation of punching shear;
- CR
- a national factor to calculate one-way shear and punching shear in Eurocode 2;
- d
- effective depth of the slab;
- Eck,upgr
- upgraded characteristic value of elastic modulus when assessing bridges that were designed based on regulations between 1947 and 1960, according to the Swedish assessment code;
- Ecm
- mean modulus of elasticity;
- Ecm,is
- experimentally determined modulus of elasticity;
- fck
- characteristic value of concrete strength;
- fck,upgr
- upgraded characteristic value of concrete strength when assessing bridges that were designed based on regulations between 1947 and 1960, according to the Swedish assessment code;
- fcm
- mean value of compressive strength of concrete;
- fcm,is
- in situ tested compressive strength of concrete;
- fctm
- mean value of tensile strength of concrete;
- fctm,is
- experimentally determined tensile strength of concrete;
- ft
- tensile strength of reinforcement;
- ftm,is
- experimentally determined tensile strength of reinforcement;
- fv
- factor used in Swedish building code for shear resistance;
- fy
- yield strength of steel reinforcement;
- fym
- mean value of yield strength of steel reinforcement;
- fym,is
- experimentally determined mean value of yield strength of steel reinforcement;
- hb
- crack bandwidth;
- k
- a parameter representing size effect;
- L
- length of yield line;
- Lb
- distance between the centerlines of two beams;
- mR
- unitary bending moment resistance;
- Q
- applied load;
- QR
- load resistance;
- Qu.cal
- calculated load-carrying capacity;
- Qu.exp
- experimentally determined shear capacity;
- t
- concrete cover;
- vmin
- minimum unitary shear force;
- VR
- punching shear resistance;
- w
- crack width;
- x
- distance from the center of loading to the critical section;
- z
- length of lever arm;
- β
- a factor for load effect concerning arching action in Eurocode 2;
- δ
- vertical displacement;
- ɛ
- strain of concrete;
- ɛu
- ultimate strain at peak stress;
- ɛum,is
- experimentally determined value of ultimate strain at peak stress;
- ξ
- a factor to calculate shear resistance in the Swedish building code;
- η
- a factor to calculate punching shear resistance in the Swedish building code;
- θ
- rotation of the yield line; and
- ρ
- reinforcement ratio.
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Published In
Journal of Bridge Engineering
Volume 25 • Issue 9 • September 2020
Copyright
© 2020 American Society of Civil Engineers.
History
Received: Sep 7, 2019
Accepted: Apr 24, 2020
Published online: Jul 13, 2020
Published in print: Sep 1, 2020
Discussion open until: Dec 13, 2020
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