Forensic Testing of a Double Tee Bridge

This report describes an investigation to quantify the behavior of precast, prestressed concrete double-tee bridge girders made with lightweight concrete. As part of the investigation, three bridge girders were salvaged from a decommissioned bridge in Coalville, Utah. Each girder was subjected to a cracking test to determine the residual prestress force after approximately forty-eight years of service life. Once the prestress losses were quantified, a flexural capacity test was performed on each girder, as well as shear capacity tests performed at various distances from the support. The measured losses and capacities were compared to estimated values calculated according to procedures in the AASHTO LRFD Specifications. It was concluded that the AASHTO LRFD procedures for calculating prestress losses were accurate and the calculated shear capacities were conservative. However, the calculated flexural capacities were not conservative, which is believed to be a result of deck deterioration. In addition to the physical tests, a nonlinear finite-element analysis (FEA) was conducted using ANSYS that was found to replicate the experimental behavior, failure mechanism, and magnitude.

• Record URL:
  https://cait.rutgers.edu/files/CAIT-UTC-044-final.pdf
• 
• Supplemental Notes:
  • This research was sponsored by the U.S. Department of Transportation, University Transportation Centers Program.
• Corporate Authors:

  Utah State University, Logan

  Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, 4110 Old Main Hill
  Logan, UT  United States  84322-4110

  Rutgers University, Piscataway

  Center for Advanced Infrastructure and Transportation, 100 Brett Road
  Piscataway, NJ  United States  08854-8058

  Utah Department of Transportation

  4501 South 2700 West
  Salt Lake City, UT  United States  84114-8410

  Federal Highway Administration

  1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE
  Washington, DC  United States  20590

  Research and Innovative Technology Administration

  1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE
  Washington, DC  United States  20590
• Authors:
  • Barr, Paul J
  • Halling, Marv W
  • Pettigrew, Christopher S
• Publication Date: 2014-12

Language

• English

Media Info

• Media Type: Digital/other
• Edition: Final Report
• Features: Appendices; Figures; Photos; References; Tables;
• Pagination: 240p

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Finite element method; Girders; Lightweight concrete; Precast concrete; Prestressed concrete
• Identifier Terms: AASHTO LRFD Bridge Design Specifications; ANSYS (Computer program)
• Uncontrolled Terms: Flexural capacity; Prestress losses; Shear capacity
• Geographic Terms: Coalville (Utah)
• Subject Areas: Bridges and other structures; Design; Highways; I24: Design of Bridges and Retaining Walls;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 01555794
• Record Type: Publication
• Report/Paper Numbers: CAIT-UTC-044
• Contract Numbers: DTRT12-G-UTC16
• Files: UTC, TRIS, RITA, ATRI, USDOT, STATEDOT
• Created Date: Mar 2 2015 10:37AM