FIELD TESTS OF A STEEL-COMPOSITE BOX GIRDER BRIDGE

Fieldtests were performed to assess the behavior of a steel box-girder bridge with a composite-concrete roadway deck slab. The structure was instrumented at a mid-span cross section and at a section near the support of 1 of the simple approach spans to permit studies of bending and shear strain distributions. Live load was applied, and theoretical analyses were performed with a finite element program. Live load membrane strains can be accurately predicted by the program, but fiber strains, especially in the transverse direction, are greatly influenced by plate warpage and initial local dead load deflections. Observed dead load strains exhibit significantly greater shear lag than predicted by the program. Liveload and ultimate dead load deflections are closely approximated by the theoretical analysis. The program overestimated the torsional stiffness of both the bare steel girder and the composite section. Success of the finite element program in assessing structural behavior of the steel box girder coupled with previously demonstrated deficiencies in methods of design employing distribution factors provides a convincing argument for using such a program in future designs of this type of structure.

• Record URL:
  • http://onlinepubs.trb.org/Onlinepubs/trr/1975/547/547-005.pdf
• Summary URL:
  • https://scholar.google.com/scholar_lookup?title=FIELD+TESTS+OF+A+STEEL-COMPOSITE+BOX+GIRDER+BRIDGE&author=R.+Davis&author=G.+Castleton&publication_year=1975
• Availability:
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• Supplemental Notes:
  • Publication of this paper sponsored by Committee on Steel Bridges. Distribution, posting, or copying of this PDF is strictly prohibited without written permission of the Transportation Research Board of the National Academy of Sciences. Unless otherwise indicated, all materials in this PDF are copyrighted by the National Academy of Sciences. Copyright © National Academy of Sciences. All rights reserved.
• Authors:
  • Davis, Raymond E
  • Castleton, Gary A
• Conference:
  • 54th Annual Meeting of the Transportation Research Board
  • Location: Washington District of Columbia
  • Date: 1975-1-13 to 1975-1-17
• Publication Date: 1975

Media Info

• Media Type: Print
• Features: Figures; References;
• Pagination: pp 47-54
• Monograph Title: Concrete and Steel Bridges
• Serial:
  • Transportation Research Record
  • Issue Number: 547
  • Publisher: Transportation Research Board
  • ISSN: 0361-1981

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Bending; Bridge design; Bridges; Composite materials; Deflection; Field tests; Finite element method; Girder bridges; Girders; Live loads; Mechanical strain; Metal bridges; Static loads; Steel bridges; Stiffness; Structural design; Theory; Torsion
• Uncontrolled Terms: Shear lag
• Old TRIS Terms: Composite girders; Strains
• Subject Areas: Bridges and other structures; Highways;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00128547
• Record Type: Publication
• ISBN: 0309024548
• Files: TRIS, TRB
• Created Date: May 14 1976 12:00AM