Experimental Setup for a Large-Scale Bridge Superstructure Model Subjected to Waves
Publication: Journal of Waterway, Port, Coastal, and Ocean Engineering
Volume 137, Issue 1
Abstract
To gain a better understanding of the wave forces that led to the failure of numerous causeway-type coastal highway bridges along the U.S. Gulf coast, a series of experiments was conducted on a realistic, 1:5 scale reinforced concrete bridge superstructure. The experimental setup is unique compared to other wave-in-deck studies in that the stiffness of the horizontal support system can be varied to represent different dynamic properties of the bridge system. The bridge specimen is subjected to a wide range of regular and random wave conditions at multiple water levels. In addition to measuring pressures and forces, the experiments measure the dynamic response of the bridge specimen using strain gauges, displacement sensors, and accelerometers. This paper presents the innovative experimental setup, and a preliminary analysis of the data showing the effect of wave height, wave period, and water level, on the forces experienced by the bridge superstructure.
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Acknowledgments
Support of the Oregon Transportation Research and Education Consortium (OTREC), the Kiewit Center for Infrastructure and Transportation, and the National Science Foundation (Grant No. NSFCMMI-0800822) is gratefully acknowledged.
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Information & Authors
Information
Published In
Journal of Waterway, Port, Coastal, and Ocean Engineering
Volume 137 • Issue 1 • January 2011
Pages: 3 - 11
Copyright
© 2011 ASCE.
History
Received: Apr 14, 2009
Accepted: May 7, 2010
Published online: May 13, 2010
Published in print: Jan 2011
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