ANALYTICAL AND EXPERIMENTAL INVESTIGATION OF THE THERMAL RESPONSE OF HIGHWAY BRIDGES

Finite element procedures have been developed for the transient heat conduction and static thermal stress analysis of bridge-type structures. Existing finite element programs were modified and extended for the analyses. Surface temperatures and thermally induced slope change measurements that were obtained during field tests on two prestressed concrete bridges have been included in the study. Also correlations between the field measured slope changes and results that were obtained using the finite element programs have been included. A finite element program which employs two-dimensional finite elements was used to predict the transient internal temperature distributions for the bridges that were tested. A static analysis program was used to determine the thermally induced movements of bridge-type structures. This program utilizes two-dimensional finite elements in a three-dimensional global assemblage with six degrees-of-freedom at each nodal point. The temperature distributions that were obtained from the heat conduction analysis were used as input data for the static analysis program in order to predict the thermally induced movements and stresses for the bridges that were tested. Several numerical examples were considered to determine the validity of the temperature distribution representation. Additional results were included for one of the bridges that was tested in order to determine the relative magnitudes of the thermally induced stresses and the stresses produced by gravity loading and prestressing.

• Supplemental Notes:
  • This report prepared in cooperation with DOT, Federal Highway Administration.
• Corporate Authors:

  University of Texas, Austin

  Center for Highway Research, 200 West 21st Street
  Austin, TX  United States  78712
• Authors:
  • Will, K M
  • Johnson, C P
  • Matlock, H
• Publication Date: 1977-2

Media Info

• Features: Appendices; Figures; Tables;
• Pagination: 129 p.

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Field tests; Finite element method; Highway bridges; Loads; Prestressed concrete; Prestressing; Surface temperature; Thermal stresses; Vehicle components
• Uncontrolled Terms: Loading; Thermal response
• Old TRIS Terms: Finite elements
• Subject Areas: Bridges and other structures; Highways; Vehicles and Equipment;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00174420
• Record Type: Publication
• Source Agency: National Technical Information Service
• Report/Paper Numbers: FHWA-TX-77-23-2 Intrm Rpt., FCP 45F3022
• Contract Numbers: Study 3-5-74-23
• Files: NTIS, TRIS
• Created Date: Jun 14 1978 12:00AM