Long-Term Behavior of Precast Concrete Bridges

For this research, sensors were used to investigate the differences in prestress losses and temperature gradients in a concrete deck bulb tee girder bridge. The Millville Bridge was built as an access point to the Ridgeline High School in Millville, Utah. The bridge was built in 2016 and presently supports two lanes of traffic. Changes in prestress were measured with a total of 16 vibrating wire strain gauges located at four cross-sections. Temperature gradients were measured with a total of 50 thermocouples located at five cross-section locations, four of which were shared locations with the vibrating wire strain gauges. These instruments were placed at the mid-span and end of an exterior and center girder to effectively measure the bridge response in one quarter of the bridge superstructure. The prestress loss recordings were initiated before the prestressing strands were released. The thermocouple data for Girder 1 began to be recorded before the initial casting of the girder concrete. The thermocouple data for Girder 5 was started before the curing blanket was removed in the casting yard. Prestress losses at the girder mid-span and temperature gradients were compared with code recommended values according to the AASHTO bridge design specifications.

• Record URL:
  • https://www.ugpti.org/resources/reports/details.php?id=909
• Record URL:
  • https://rosap.ntl.bts.gov/view/dot/36693
• Supplemental Notes:
  • This document 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
  Logan, UT  United States 

  Mountain-Plains Consortium

  North Dakota State University
  Fargo, ND  United States  58108

  Office of the Assistant Secretary for Research and Technology

  University Transportation Centers Program
  Department of Transportation
  Washington, DC  United States  20590
• Authors:
  • Powelson, Phillip
  • Barr, Paul J
  • Halling, Marv W
• Publication Date: 2018-7

Language

• English

Media Info

• Media Type: Digital/other
• Features: Appendices; Figures; Photos; References; Tables;
• Pagination: 59p

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Bridge decks; Girder bridges; Precast concrete; Prestressed concrete bridges; Sensors; Structural analysis; Temperature gradients
• Identifier Terms: AASHTO LRFD Bridge Design Specifications
• Geographic Terms: Millville (Utah)
• Subject Areas: Bridges and other structures; Highways; Maintenance and Preservation;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 01678070
• Record Type: Publication
• Report/Paper Numbers: MPC 18-352
• Contract Numbers: Project 478
• Files: UTC, NTL, TRIS, ATRI, USDOT
• Created Date: Aug 20 2018 9:21AM