Innovative and Economical Steel Bridge Design Alternatives for Colorado
Simple-made-continuous (SMC) steel bridges are a relatively new innovation in steel bridge design. The SMC concept is a viable solution for steel bridges to recover market share of the bridges constructed in the United States. The majority of SMC bridges currently in use are constructed with concrete diaphragms. This work presents the results analysis and testing of this SMC connection scheme using steel diaphragms. A bridge of this type was constructed by the Colorado Department of Transportation in 2005 and its connections serve as the basis for the research presented herein. Preliminary numerical analysis was performed by hand; this analysis discovered potential design flaws in the current bridge connection. Subsequent numerical analysis using Abaqus finite element analysis software provided results that were indecisive in regard to the flaws found in the hand analysis. The finite element analysis did provide valuable insight into some of the connection behavior. Physical testing was subsequently performed on a full size model of the connection, which verified that there were design flaws in the original design. The results of analysis and physical testing provided information necessary to correct the design flaws and data required for the development of a design methodology for the connection type.
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Supplemental Notes:
- This document was sponsored by the U.S. Department of Transportation, University Transportation Centers Program.
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Corporate Authors:
Colorado State University
,Colorado Department of Transportation
Denver, CO United States 80222 North Dakota State University
Fargo, ND United States 58108Federal Highway Administration
1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE
Washington, DC United States 20590Research and Innovative Technology Administration
1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE
Washington, DC United States 20590 -
Authors:
- Johnson, Robert I
- Atadero, Rebecca A
- Publication Date: 2015-12
Language
- English
Media Info
- Media Type: Digital/other
- Features: Appendices; Figures; Photos; References; Tables;
- Pagination: 180p
Subject/Index Terms
- TRT Terms: Bridge design; Diaphragms (Engineering); Finite element method; Laboratory tests; Numerical analysis; Steel bridges; Structural connection
- Geographic Terms: Colorado
- Subject Areas: Bridges and other structures; Design; Highways;
Filing Info
- Accession Number: 01594609
- Record Type: Publication
- Report/Paper Numbers: MPC 15-298
- Files: UTC, NTL, TRIS, RITA, ATRI, USDOT, STATEDOT
- Created Date: Mar 29 2016 9:34AM