Live-Load Response of a 65-Year-Old Pratt Truss Bridge
Publication: Journal of Performance of Constructed Facilities
Volume 29, Issue 6
Abstract
The Kettle River Bridge is an arched, steel cantilevered deck, Pratt Truss bridge. To quantify the live-load performance of the bridge superstructure and provide a baseline for future comparisons, it was instrumented with 151 strain gauges on various beam, stringer, and truss members. In addition, 8 displacement gauges were attached along the truss. All gauges were simultaneously monitored while the bridge was subjected to a nondestructive, live-load test. The recorded bridge response was analyzed to quantify in situ behavior. The measured behavior was then used to validate a finite-element model using solid and frame elements, which was subsequently used to obtain an inventory- and operating-load rating of 2.03 and 2.64, respectively. Based on the results of the test, it was concluded that the large gusset plates added partial fixity to the truss members, as evident from the significant measured in-plane bending strains. However, the beam-and-stringer deck support system showed minimal rotational restraint between consecutive panels and behaved nearly simply supported. The validated finite-element model was used to determine distribution factors. The actual bridge distribution factors were found to be conservative in comparison to those calculated according the AASHTO LRFD specifications, by 17–44%.
Get full access to this article
View all available purchase options and get full access to this article.
Acknowledgments
This paper was supported by a subcontract from Rutgers University, Center for Advanced Infrastructure and Transportation (CAIT), under DTFH61-08-C-00005 from the U.S. Department of Transportation-Federal Highway Administration (USDOT-FHWA). Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this paper are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of Rutgers University or those of the U.S. Department of Transportation-Federal Highway Administration. Thanks also go to the Minnesota Department of Transportation for their help and cooperation with the testing of the Kettle River Bridge, and to Bridge Diagnostics, Inc. for their assistance during the live-load test.
References
AASHTO. (2010). AASHTO LRFD bridge design specifications, 4th Ed., AASHTO, Washington, DC.
Boothby, T., and Craig, R. (1997). “Experimental load rating study of a historic truss bridge.” J. Bridge Eng., 18–26.
Computers and Structures. (2009). SAP2000, version 14.1.0. analysis reference manual, Computers and Structures, Berkeley, CA.
Fu, C. C., AlAyed, H., Amde, A. M., and Robert, J. (2007). “Field performance of the fiber-reinforced polymer deck of a truss bridge.” J. Perform. Constr. Facil., 53–60.
Hickey, L., Roberts-Wollmann, C., Cousins, T., Sotelino, E., and Easterling, W. S. (2009). “Live load test and failure analysis for steel deck truss bridge over the New River in Virginia.” Final VCTIR Contract Rep., Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State Univ., Blacksburg, VA.
Laman, J. A., Pechar, J. S., and Boothby, T. E. (1999). “Dynamic load allowance for through-truss bridges.” J. Bridge Eng., 231–241.
Laurendeau, M. P. (2011). “Live-load testing and finite-element analysis of a steel cantilevered deck arched Pratt Truss bridge for the long term bridge performance program.” M.Sc. thesis, Utah State Univ., Logan, UT.
Lenett, M., Hunt, V., Helmicki, A., and Turer, A. (2001). “Field testing and evaluation of the Ironton-Russell bridge.” ASCE Structures Congress, Washington, DC, 1–9.
Malone, B. J., Heffron, M. A., Ramirez, J. A., and White, D. W. (1996). “Analysis and load testing of two steel through truss bridges in Indiana.” Federal Highway Administration, Purdue Univ., Purdue, IN.
Minnesota Historic Society. (2005). “Minnesota historic bridges.” 〈www.mnmodel.dot.state.mn.us/mn_arch/bridges/type/type.html〉 (Mar. 8, 2011).
MN/DOT Bridge Office. (2007). “Special.”, MN/DOT Bridge Office, Oakdale, MN.
Sanders, W. W. Jr., Elleb, H. A., Klaiber, F. W., and Reeves, M. D. (1975). Ultimate load behavior of full-scale highway truss bridge, Engineering Research Institute, Iowa State Univ., Ames, IA.
Svotelis, R. A., Heins, C. P. Jr., and Looney, C. T. G. (1967). “Analytical and experimental study of a through truss bridge.” Technical Rep., Univ. of Maryland, College Park, MD, 217.
Yost, J. R., Schulz, J. L., and Commander, B. C. (2005). “Using NDT data for finite element model calibration and load rating of bridges.” Proc., ASCE Structures Congress: Metropolis and Beyond, New York.
Information & Authors
Information
Published In
Journal of Performance of Constructed Facilities
Volume 29 • Issue 6 • December 2015
Copyright
© 2014 American Society of Civil Engineers.
History
Received: May 5, 2014
Accepted: Jul 11, 2014
Published online: Sep 26, 2014
Discussion open until: Feb 26, 2015
Published in print: Dec 1, 2015
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.