HORIZONTAL FORCES IN BRIDGE EXPANSION JOINTS DUE TO VEHICLES

A SIMPLE EXPERIMENTAL JOINT WAS CONSTRUCTED, TO GIVE THE MAGNITUDE OF HORIZONTAL FORCES AS THE JOINT WAS TRAVERSED BY CAR AND LORRY WHEELS UNDER HEAVY BRAKING AND FREE ROLLING CONDITIONS. MEASUREMENTS WERE MADE WITH EXPANSION GAPS OF 6 AND 80 MM (1/4IN AND 3 1/4IN) AND WITH VARIOUS HEIGHTS OF JOINT ABOVE THE ROAD SURFACE, UP TO 11 MM (7/16IN). THE RESULTS SHOW THAT:- (1) THE MAXIMUM VALUE FOR THE HORIZONTAL FORCE IS UNLIKELY GREATLY TO EXCEED THE VALUE OF 80 KN/PER METRE RUN OF JOINT (2.5 TONS PER FT RUN) RECOMMENDED FOR DESIGN IN M.O.T. TECH MEMORANDUM (BRIDGES) NO.BE 6, AND (2) THE MAGNITUDE OF THE FORCE DOES NOT CHANGE SIGNIFICANTLY WITH SPEED OF VEHICLE, GAP WIDTH OR HEIGHT ABOVE THE ROAD SURFACE, WITHIN THE LIMITS OF THE TEST. /RRL/A/

• Supplemental Notes:
  • 14 Pp, 8 FiG, 5 REF
• Corporate Authors:

  MINISTRY OF TRANSPORT, LONDON (UK)

  ,    

  Road Research Laboratory /UK

  ,    
• Authors:
  • Black, W
  • Moss, D S
• Publication Date: 1969

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Braking; Bridges; Expansion joints; Force; Height; Speed; Trucks; Vehicles; Width
• Subject Areas: Bridges and other structures; Highways; Motor Carriers; Vehicles and Equipment;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00208663
• Record Type: Publication
• Source Agency: Road Research Laboratory /UK
• Files: TRIS
• Created Date: Jun 1 1970 12:00AM