Development of a Transducer for Measuring Tensile Strains in Concrete Bridge Girders

This report describes the design and testing of a transducer for measuring tensile strains in reinforced concrete bridge girders. This transducer was needed by the Alabama Department of Transportation (ALDOT) Bridge Rating and Load Test Section for performing load tests on reinforced concrete highway bridges. ALDOT began its bridge testing program over 10 years ago and successfully removed load restrictions from over 80 steel girder bridges. The procedure used by ALDOT (and other bridge testers, typically), is to measure the flexural strains in the bridge due to known truck loads. Flexural strains can easily be measured in steel girders using electrical resistance strain gages. Such gages cannot accurately measure tensile strains in reinforced concrete girders, however, due to the presence of flexural micro-cracks. The purpose of this project was to develop a transducer to measure tensile strains in reinforced concrete bridge girders. The transducer design was based on the experience of ALDOT and the authors with earlier versions of the strain transducer. This report summarizes the literature on methods of measuring bridge response during load tests, describes the transducer design process, and presents results from laboratory and field testing of a prototype of the final transducer design.

• Record URL:
  • http://utca.eng.ua.edu/research/projects/?id=03402
• 
• Supplemental Notes:
  • This research was funded by the U.S. Department of Transportation, University Transportation Centers Program.
• Corporate Authors:

  University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa

  Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, P.O. Box 870205
  Tuscaloosa, AL  United States  35487-0205

  University Transportation Center for Alabama

  University of Alabama
  Tuscaloosa, AL  United States  35487

  Alabama Department of Transportation

  1409 Coliseum Boulevard
  Montgomery, AL  United States  36130-3050
• Authors:
  • Richardson, Jim
  • Triche, Michael
  • Skelton, Stephan
• Publication Date: 2005-7

Language

• English

Media Info

• Media Type: Print
• Edition: Final Report
• Features: CD-ROM; Figures; Photos; References; Tables;
• Pagination: 19p

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Design; Field tests; Girder bridges; Girders; Highway bridges; Laboratory tests; Literature reviews; Load tests; Measurement; Prototypes; Reinforced concrete; Tension; Transducers
• Uncontrolled Terms: Flexural strain
• Subject Areas: Bridges and other structures; Design; Highways; I24: Design of Bridges and Retaining Walls;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 01029059
• Record Type: Publication
• Report/Paper Numbers: UTCA Final Report 03402
• Contract Numbers: Project No. 930-923
• Files: UTC, TRIS, STATEDOT
• Created Date: Jul 14 2006 3:49PM