A DISCRETE-ELEMENT METHOD OF ANALYSIS FOR ORTHOGONAL SLAB AND GRID BRIDGE FLOOR SYSTEMS

A METHOD IS PRESENTED FOR THE DISCRETE-ELEMENT ANALYSIS OF ISOTROPIC OR ORTHOTROPIC SLABS AND PLATES ON ELASTIC SUPPORTS. AN INTEGRAL GRID-BEAM SYSTEM CAN ALSO BE INCLUDED WHICH MAKES IT ESPECIALLY USEFUL FOR HIGHWAY BRIDGE STRUCTURES. OTHER STRUCTURES SUCH AS HIGHWAY AND AIRFIELD PAVEMENTS ON ELASTIC FOUNDATIONS, FLAT OR HAUNCHED BUILDING SLABS, TWO-WAY MAT FOUNDAIONS, STIFFENED PLATES, OR ANY GRID-TYPE SUBASSEMBLAGE OF MORE COMPLEX STRUCTURES CAN BE INVESTIGATED. THE DEVELOPED COMPUTER PROGRAM ALLOWS FOR THE FREE VARIATION OF STIFFNESSES, SUPPORTS, AND LOADS. IN-PLANE AXIAL THRUSTS, IF THEIR DISTRIBUTION IS KNOWN, ARE INCLUDED AND COUPLED WITH THE STIFFNESSES OF THE STRUCTURE. INPUTS TO THE PROGRAM MAY BE RETAINED AND USED FOR A SERIES OF PROBLEMS FOR THE CONVENIENCE OF THE USER. SEVERAL PLOTTED OUTPUT OPTIONS ARE AVAILABLE INCLUDING A THREE-DIMENSIONAL DISPLAY OF THE EXAGGERATED DEFLECTED SHAPE OF THE STRUCTURE. RESEARCH INVESTIGATORS IN OTHER AREAS HAVE APPLIED PRELIMINARY VERSIONS OF THE PROGRAM TO A VARIETY OF STRUCTURES INCLUDING EXPERIMENTAL COMPARISONS AND IT HAS BEEN SHOWN TO YIELD SATISFACTORY RESULTS. FOUR EXAMPLE PROBLEMS ARE PRESENTED TO A TYPICAL HIGHWAY BRIDGE PRESENTLY IN USE BY THE TEXAS HIGHWAY DEPARTMENT. THE PROBLEMS INCLUDE AND DISCUSS MOST OF THE BRIEF INPUT CALCULATIONS AND ASSUMPTIONS NECESSARY. /AUTHOR/

• Corporate Authors:

  Federal Highway Administration

  1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE
  Washington, DC  United States  20590

  University of Texas, Austin

  Center for Highway Research, 200 West 21st Street
  Austin, TX  United States  78712
• Authors:
  • Panak, J J
  • Matlock, H
• Publication Date: 1972-5

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Analysis; Bridge design; Bridges; Computer programs; Discrete systems; Elasticity (Mechanics); Foundations; Grids (Transmission lines); Orthotropic; Pavements; Slabs; Structural analysis; Structural design
• Old TRIS Terms: Discrete elements; Plotting
• Subject Areas: Bridges and other structures; Highways; Pavements;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00208030
• Record Type: Publication
• Source Agency: Federal Highway Administration
• Report/Paper Numbers: No 56-25
• Files: TRIS, USDOT
• Created Date: Apr 17 1972 12:00AM