RESEARCH PAYS OFF. ELIMINATING SHEAR CONNECTORS SLASHES CULVERT COST

Since 1979, the Ohio Department of Transportation (ODOT) has found precast reinforced concrete box culverts to be an economical alternative to cast-in-place structures. ODOT Supplemental Specification 955, which applies to these structures, initially required the installation of shear connectors on all C850 box culvert joints. After construction of several C850 box culverts it became obvious that the shear connectors posed a threefold problem: (1) the shear connectors proved difficult to install; (2) using shear connectors made installation of waterproofing membranes more difficult; and (3) the shear connectors were costly. To determine if the shear connectors were actually needed on the C850 precast concrete box culverts, ODOT awarded a $46,000 contract to the University of Toledo in 1982 to undertake a research project. Test results showed that (a) significant load transfer occurred across the joint without shear connectors; (b) the differential deflection between box sections without shear connectors was insignificant for design loads; and (c) total deflections were much lower than the AASHTO allowable limits for design loads. The conclusion of the research was that shear connectors as specified by ODOT were not required on C850 box culverts.

• Record URL:
  • https://onlinepubs.trb.org/onlinepubs/trnews/rpo/rpo.trn138.pdf
• Availability:
  • Find a library where document is available. Order URL: http://worldcat.org/issn/07386826
• Corporate Authors:

  Transportation Research Board

  500 Fifth Street, NW
  Washington, DC  United States  20001
• Publication Date: 1988-9

Media Info

• Features: Photos; Tables;
• Pagination: p. 14-15
• Serial:
  • TR News
  • Issue Number: 138
  • Publisher: Transportation Research Board
  • ISSN: 0738-6826
  • Serial URL: https://doi.org/10.17226/895

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Box culverts; Building; Costs; Deflection; Design; Facilities; Fasteners; Installation; Load transfer; Shear reinforcement
• Uncontrolled Terms: Shear connectors
• Subject Areas: Construction; Design; Finance; Highways; Hydraulics and Hydrology; Maintenance and Preservation; I26: Water Run-off - Freeze-thaw;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00478107
• Record Type: Publication
• Files: TRIS, TRB
• Created Date: Dec 31 1988 12:00AM