EVALUATION OF PRECAST CONCRETE BOX SECTIONS INSTALLED WITHOUT SHEAR CONNECTORS. FINAL REPORT

Based upon our earlier research (1984), the Ohio Department of Transportation no longer requires the use of shear connectors on precast concrete box culverts conforming to ASTM Standard C 850-76. ODOT does not require the use of edge beams when shear connectors are not used. This investigation was undertaken to collect strain and deflection data on box culverts, subjected to highway loading, which were installed without shear connectors. After interpreting these data, the necessity of the AASHTO edge beam requirement was assessed and a precast box section with less than two feet of cover was re-designed for HS 20 loading. Our re-design was used for an ODOT bridge replacement in 1985 and was successfully tested in the field. Testing of one-sixth size scale models was also performed. This yielded more strain information than was possible to collect during the field testing phase. It also provided additional verification of the re-design. Based upon the results of this research, it is concluded that present ASTM C 850 box sections are over-designed structurally and the AASHTO edge beam requirement need not be enforced for box culverts. It is recommended that the present ASTM C 850 specification be discontinued. It is further recommended that the ASTM C 789 specification with four feet of cover serve all cases when the cover is four feet or less. For cover cases greater than four feet, the current ASTM C 789 specification could continue to be used, or perhaps they should be re-designed.

• Corporate Authors:

  University of Toledo

  Department of Civil Engineering, 2801 West Bancroft Street
  Toledo, OH  United States  43606-3390

  Ohio Department of Transportation

  P.O. Box 889
  Columbus, OH  United States  43215

  Federal Highway Administration

  1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE
  Washington, DC  United States  20590
• Authors:
  • Frederick, G R
  • Ardis, C V
• Publication Date: 1987-1

Media Info

• Pagination: n.p.

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Box culverts; Deflection; Design standards; Fasteners; Field tests; Precast concrete; Scale models; Shear reinforcement; Specifications; Strain (Mechanics)
• Uncontrolled Terms: Shear connectors
• Old TRIS Terms: Strains
• Subject Areas: Bridges and other structures; Highways; Hydraulics and Hydrology; I20: Design and Planning of Transport Infrastructure;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00468184
• Record Type: Publication
• Source Agency: Federal Highway Administration
• Report/Paper Numbers: FHWA/OH-87/004
• Contract Numbers: 14370(0)
• Files: TRIS, USDOT, STATEDOT
• Created Date: Apr 30 1988 12:00AM