HIDDEN STRENGTHS

This article shows how research to estimate the true load-carrying capacity of existing structures more accurately can be highly cost-effective by avoiding unnecessary strengthening or reconstruction and provide other benefits. Several consulting engineers have been working with bridge owners to develop new approaches, or modify existing design techniques, to provide powerful assessment tools. Two innovative methods have been especially successful in assessing concrete bridges: (1) the use of equations similar to the Wood Armer equations for designing reinforced concrete slabs; and (2) the use of plastic yield line analysis, which can provide significantly better assessment results than with elastic methods. The complex calculations of these methods have been incorporated in the RASSP and COBRAS computer programs, respectively. The benefit of using both RASSP and COBRAS was demonstrated in the assessment of Winterbourne Lane Bridge, a three-span reinforced concrete bridge, with a 15 degree skew, that carries the M4 over an urban road north of Bristol. Initial finite element analysis was inconclusive, but the new techniques showed that the bridge had sufficient capacity for full 40t assessment highway loading.

• Availability:
  • Find a library where document is available. Order URL: http://worldcat.org/oclc/3831968
• Corporate Authors:

  Thomas Telford Limited

  London,   United Kingdom 
• Authors:
  • DENTON, S
• Publication Date: 1995-11

Language

• English

Media Info

• Pagination: p. 36-7
• Serial:
  • Highways
  • Volume: 63
  • Issue Number: 8
  • Publisher: Alad Limited
  • ISSN: 0142-6168
  • Serial URL: http://www.highways-mag.co.uk

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Bridges; Calculation; Computer programs; Concrete; Design; Evaluation and assessment; Freeways; General surface features of the earth; Geomorphology; Loads; Mathematical models; Methodology; Reinforced concrete; Urban areas
• Geographic Terms: United Kingdom
• ITRD Terms: 3455: Bridge; 6464: Calculation; 3849: Cleaning; 4755: Concrete; 2722: Cycle track; 9011: Design (overall design); 9020: Evaluation (assessment); 5702: Excavation pit; 4502: Expanded material; 2720: Footway; 9108: Improvement; 5567: Load; 6473: Mathematical model; 9102: Method; 2752: Motorway; 2955: Pavement; 4794: Reinforced concrete; 3635: Repair; 2991: Resurfacing; 5792: Settlement; 3491: Slab; 8645: Software; 4076: Structure (geomorphol); 8119: United Kingdom; 313: Urban area; 2481: Visual intrusion; 5293: Wear; 9090: Working group
• Subject Areas: Bridges and other structures; Design; Highways;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00719941
• Record Type: Publication
• Source Agency: Transport Research Laboratory
• Files: ITRD
• Created Date: Apr 26 1996 12:00AM