Simplified Procedure to Obtain LRFD Preliminary Design Charts for Simple-Span Prestressed Concrete Bridge Girders
Publication: Practice Periodical on Structural Design and Construction
Volume 21, Issue 1
Abstract
The latest bridge design manual from the Precast/Prestressed Concrete Institute (PCI) provides preliminary design charts for selecting the girder size and prestressing strands for a given span length and beam spacing but only for = 55 MPa and 0.6-in. (15-mm) diameter strands. This single concrete strength and strand size may limit the use of the charts, particularly in states considering high- and ultrahigh-performance concrete. Accordingly, this paper presents a simplified procedure to develop preliminary design charts for prestressed concrete bulb-tee girders based on the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) Load and Resistance Factor Design (LRFD) bridge design specifications considering service load stress limits and flexural strength. The procedure is demonstrated for a BT-72 section and new LRFD charts are generated to compare the effects of higher concrete strength and larger strand size on bridge girder design. The benefits and limitations of the approach and recommendations for future implementation are discussed.
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References
AASHTO (American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials). (2002). Standard specifications for highway bridges, 17th Ed., Washington, DC.
AASHTO (American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials). (2010). LRFD bridge design specifications, 5th Ed., Washington, DC.
Collins, M. P., and Mitchell, D. (1991). Prestressed concrete structures, Prentice-Hall, Englewood Cliffs, NJ, pp. 61–65.
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Marquez, J., Jauregui D. V., Weldon B. D., and Newtson C. (2012). “Development of preliminary design charts for prestressed UHPC bridge girders.” Proc., Precast/Prestressed Concrete Institute (PCI) and National Bridge Conf. (CD-ROM), Nashville, TN.
PCI (Precast/Prestressed Concrete Institute). (2003). PCI bridge design manual, 2nd Ed., Chicago.
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Seguirant, S. J., Brice, R., and Khaleghi, B. (2005). “Flexural strength of reinforced and prestressed concrete T-beams.” PCI J., 50(1), 44–68.
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Published In
Practice Periodical on Structural Design and Construction
Volume 21 • Issue 1 • February 2016
Copyright
© 2015 American Society of Civil Engineers.
History
Received: Jan 12, 2015
Accepted: Sep 10, 2015
Published online: Dec 7, 2015
Published in print: Feb 1, 2016
Discussion open until: May 7, 2016
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