Bridge Design
Bridge Design
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ABSTRACT
In recent years, distress has been observed in several PSC structures, which had a latent weakness due to lack of
good detailing, improper design, adverse climate, and absence of skilled work man to manufacture and place good quality
concrete. In some cases there would be multiple interacting events to cause distress. Common interactive causes are
corrosion combined with poor quality of construction or improper design with heavy load etc. This paper describes a PSC
bridge of balance cantilever-cum-suspended span type, distressed due to improper design and poor quality of construction.
Stresses at cracked section have been calculated. The nature of the failure, location of crack and cause of distress has been
discussed.
Keywords: doomed bridge, PSC bridge failure, improper design, balance cantilever bridge, cracks.
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VOL. 10, NO. 18, OCTOBER 2015 ISSN 1819-6608
ARPN Journal of Engineering and Applied Sciences
©2006-2015 Asian Research Publishing Network (ARPN). All rights reserved.
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The deck is supported on 2 Piers and cantilevered on Depth of water is 20m at present. Maximum water
both sides with a suspended span supported on level is 2m above the present water level.
cantilever Figure-2. The cantilever on pier P10 towards P11 has sagged,
Supported deck on piers is 44.5m (main span) and therefore the suspended span has also deflected at that
cantilever is 12.5m on abutment side and 9.0m on end. Figure-10.
other side Figure-10. There was a wide through crack in the main span
Suspended span has 3 pre-stressed girders and deck supported between pier P9 and P10 just left side
slab above Figure-3. (Jigna side) of pier P10. Because of this cantilever on
Barhi side has sagged Figures 2, 6 and 7.
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VOL. 10, NO. 18, OCTOBER 2015 ISSN 1819-6608
ARPN Journal of Engineering and Applied Sciences
©2006-2015 Asian Research Publishing Network (ARPN). All rights reserved.
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Figure-6. Location of crack and curtailment of cable number VIII view from bottom.
The rock level is reported to vary from R.L.315.000 to The gap between suspended span is open at one end
R.L.328.000. Thus, founding levels are varying. and closed on the other side.
Cross girder of one suspended span appears to be Open type expansion joints are provided and these are
cracked and not constructed in alignment (Figure-3). damaged almost at all the expansion joint locations.
Cross girders of other suspended span are damaged The Water spouts were observed not to be done
and steel is exposed. The sides of box deck appear to properly and not projecting 200mm below the soffit.
have been honeycombed, and are repaired. At many The kerb is found to be damaged at places.
other locations also honeycombing is observed
(Figure-4). Small damages/ honeycombing within the
There are cracks at the end of the span and at many structural elements reflect badly on the quality of
places there is damage of concrete surface below the structural elements and workmanship.
soffit. As an overall view the workmanship and quality
At some locations the form work done prior to casting monitoring are observed to have a scope of improvement
is observed to be stacked at the locations (Figure-5). and such lacunas during construction reflect on the
Concrete wearing coat is found to be damaged in serviceability of the structural elements.
several places. Asphaltic wearing coat is merely
20mm.
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VOL. 10, NO. 18, OCTOBER 2015 ISSN 1819-6608
ARPN Journal of Engineering and Applied Sciences
©2006-2015 Asian Research Publishing Network (ARPN). All rights reserved.
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Figure-9. Portion of working drawing showing cross section of main span and
curtailment of cable VIII at 0.
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VOL. 10, NO. 18, OCTOBER 2015 ISSN 1819-6608
ARPN Journal of Engineering and Applied Sciences
©2006-2015 Asian Research Publishing Network (ARPN). All rights reserved.
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Moment at the face of cantilever (0L) 176.55 x 9.2 = 1624.26 tonne meter (tm)
Calculation of stresses due to DL, LL, SIDL and i) Moment due self weight of cantilever = 2.298x
Prestressing at just right of 0L section 8.9x4.45 = -91.02 tm
ii) Moment due self weight of Suspended span = 2.298 x
Due to dead load 26.1 x0.5 x 9.2 = -275.89 tm
i) Moment due self weight of cantilever iii) Moment due self weight of Main span = 0 tm
= -602.38 tonne meter (tm) M/Zt stress at top = -6.6711 kg/cm2
ii) Moment due self weight of Suspended span M/Zb stress at = 8.56866 kg/cm2
= -1624.3 tm
iii) Moment due self weight of Main span
= 0 tm
M/Z stress at top = -40.484 kg/cm2
M/Zb stress at = 52.0001 kg/cm2
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VOL. 10, NO. 18, OCTOBER 2015 ISSN 1819-6608
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©2006-2015 Asian Research Publishing Network (ARPN). All rights reserved.
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For this condition live load moment at 0 L = -999.138 tm Due to prestressing (As per original calculation)
M/Z stress at top = -18.166 kg/cm2 Detail of the prestressing cables provided is
M/Zb stress at = 23.3334 kg/cm2 shown in the Table below.
Total moment due to DL = -2593.6 tm
Total moment due to LL = -999.14 tm
Table-3. Number of cables and strands per cable (As per working drawing).
Number of strands Total of strands per
Cable group Number of cables
per cable cable
I 3 8 24
II 3 8 24
III 3 8 24
IV 3 8 24
V 3 8 24
VI 4 10 40
VII 4 10 40
VIII 4 8 32
Prestressing force after relaxation loss as per the original design calculation and Center of gravity (C.G.) of prestressing
force is as per the Table below:
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Stresses due to pre stress at just right of the pier P10 or 0L section are calculated inTable-4b.
Moment due to initial pre stressing (IP) force is Moment due to Initial pre-stress (IP) force is calculated
given below in Table-4c. Eccentricity (Ecc.) of forces is inTtable-4c.
taken from the column number 15 of Table number 4b
above.
All the losses considered in design is 16.94 kg/mm2, considering the same and loss of moment and final moment after loss
is calculated in Table-4e and 4f respectively.
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Dead load and Live Load moments will give tension on top fibers. Stresses due to dead load (D.L.) and live load (L.L) at
top and bottom are calculated below in Table-4h.
Table-4h. Stresses due to dead load and Live Load at top and bottom.
DL and LL DL and LL
All dead load All live load D.L. + L.L. Zt x10^5 Zb x10^6
stress in Top stress in bottom
moments in tm moments in tm moments in (cm3) in (cm3)
in (kg/cm2) in (kg/cm2)
49 50 51 52 53 54 55
49+50 21 22 51/52 51/53
0 left -2593.6 -999.1 -3592.7 55.00 -42.82 -65.3 83.90
0 right -2593.6 -999.1 -3592.7 55.00 -42.82 -65.3 83.90
Prestressing stress after loss plus stress due to D.L. and L.L. at top and bottom are calculated below in Table-4i.
Max Stress in flexural compression = 90.391 < 118.96 Kg/Cm2 for M35
Max Stress in flexural tension = 1.102 < 0 Kg/Cm2 (as per IRC18 2000)
Calculation of stresses due to DL, LL, SIDL, pre- the same as at 0L i.e. -65.3 kg/cm2 and 83.9 kg/cm2
stressing at just left of 0L section respectively (column 58 and 59 of Table-4).
Now considering the section just left of the above The cable number 8 has been curtailed at 0L, so it
section i.e. 0L. Stresses Produced by dead load and live is not available at the section just left of the section at 0L
load moments at the top and bottom will nearly be equal to i.e. now only 200 strands are available, there are
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ARPN Journal of Engineering and Applied Sciences
©2006-2015 Asian Research Publishing Network (ARPN). All rights reserved.
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deficiency of 32 strands. In that case the stresses at just cable number 8 have been curtailed at 0L and it is not
left of 0L due to External Stresses induced by Prestressing available at section just left of 0L. Value of stresses at just
force after considering all losses at top and bottom will be left of 0L is calculated below in Table-5a.
Due to pre-stressing
Stresses due to pre-stress just left of 0L or P10
will be different than the value at just right of 0L because
Stresses at top and bottom due to initial pre stressing force is calculated and presented in theTtable-5d below.
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ARPN Journal of Engineering and Applied Sciences
©2006-2015 Asian Research Publishing Network (ARPN). All rights reserved.
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losses will reduce at this section as cable number VIII is not available
= 15.405 kg/mm2
Loss of the moment due to loss of per stressing force is calculated in Table-5e.
Final pre stress moment after pre-stresses losses is calculated and presented in Table-5f.
Stress due to Pre-stressing after all losses of pre stress at top and bottom is given below
Stresses due to dead load and live load moment right of 0L, at 0L and at just left of 0L. Stresses at top and
will give tension at the top face of the cantilever i.e. at 0L bottom due to dead load (D.L.) and live load is calculated
section. These values will be the same for section at just below in Table-5h.
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©2006-2015 Asian Research Publishing Network (ARPN). All rights reserved.
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Table-5h.
All live load D.L. + L.L. DL and LL DL and LL stress
All dead load Zt x10^5 Zb x10^6 in
moments in moments in stress in Top in bottom in
moments in tm in (cm3) (cm3)
tm tm in (kg/cm2) (kg/cm2)
49 50 51 52 53 54 55
49+50 21 22 51/52 51/53
0 left -2593.6 -999.1 -3592.7 55.00 -42.82 -65.3 83.90
0 right -2593.6 -999.1 -3592.7 55.00 -42.82 -65.3 83.90
Stress due to pre-stressing after all losses plus stress due to D.L. and L.L. is summarized below and final stresses on top
and bottom is calculated in the Table-5i.
Table-5i. Stress due to pre-stressing after all losses plus stress due to D.L. and L.L.
Pre-stressing stress Pre-stressing stress Stress due to DL Stress due to DL Final stress
Final stress
after loss Top in after loss bottom in and LL load at and LL at bottom
top (kg/cm2)
(kg/cm2) (kg/cm2) top (kg/cm2) bottom (kg/cm2) (kg/cm2)
56 57 58 59 60 61
47 48 54 55 56+58 57+59
0 left 58.9 6.5 -65.3 83.9 -6.4 90.4
0 right 58.9 6.5 -65.3 83.9 -6.4 90.4
Max Stress in flexural compression = 90.359 < 118.96 Kg/Cm2 for M35
Max Stress in flexural tension = -6.424 >0 Kg/Cm2
The probable causes of distress top is -6.42 kg/cm2, which is negative, hence unsafe as no
It is the general observation that whenever any tension is allowed in service condition clause 7.2.2 of
failure occurs in a structure in operational period the cause IRC18 2000. Final stress at the bottom is 90.39 kg/cm2,
of distress is generally not single and there are many errors which is less than the allowable stress in flexure
during the planning, design and execution stage that have compression for M35 grade of concrete (118.96 kg/cm2as
cumulative effect leading to distress. The maximum per clause 7.2.1 of IRC18 2000). The moment due to DL
hogging moment at the face of the cantilever at 0L near P1 and LL just left of this section will not reduce sharply and
due to Dead load is -2593.554 tm and due Live load is - the number of strands required, will be the same, but there
999.1 tm. Stresses Produced by these moments at the top is a sudden deficiency of 32 strands Figures 8 and 9.
and bottom are -65.3 kg/cm2 and 83.9 kg/cm2 respectively. Hence, there is a shortfall in the pre-stressing, and it is
External Stresses induced by Pre-stressing force after reflected by the structure as the crack is just left of the
considering all losses at top and bottom are 66.42 kg/cm2 section.
and 6.5 kg/cm2 respectively. Final stress at the top is 1.102
kg/cm2, which is positive hence, safe. Final stress at the CONCLUSIONS
bottom is 90.39 kg/cm2, which is less than the allowable From the above one can arrive at a definite
stress in flexure compression for M35 grade of concrete conclusion regarding the cause of failure. While designing
(118.96 kg/cm2) therefore, the number of strands provided the PSC balance cantilever span, attention should specially
(232) is sufficient to counteract the final design moment. be focused on the face of the cantilever as well as the
Detail of the pre-stressing cables provided is shown in section between 0L and 0.15L of supported span. Cable
table number 3. profile should be critically examined as hogging moment
At this section (at the face of the cantilever near does not die completely in this zone. In design of present
pier P10) cable number VIII (4x8= 32 strands) has been bridge stress check has been carried out at 0L , 0.1L, 0.2L
curtailed without bothering about the section just left of it … and so on, it should be on a closer interval or at every
Figure-6 and Figures 8 and 9. Now considering the section meter while designing the bigger span and near the zone of
just left of the above section i.e. 0L. Stresses Produced by curtailment of strands. The detail calculation of stresses
dead load and live load moments at the top and bottom shows that the crack on the main member is due to faulty
will nearly be equal to the same as at 0L i.e. -65.3 kg/cm2 design and other distresses and damages are due to poor
and 83.9 kg/cm2 respectively. But now only 200 strands quality of construction. Such deflection of the cantilever
are available, i.e. there is a deficiency of 32 strands. can occur due to a shortfall in the pre-stressing. Similar
External Stresses induced by Pre-stressing force after deflections were observed in the Narmada River Bridge at
considering all losses at top and bottom will be reduced to Punasa dam, Meli Bridge in Sikkim, Zuwari Bridge in Goa
58.9 kg/cm2 and 6.46 kg/cm2 respectively. Final stress at and these are being rectified by external pre-stressing. If
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VOL. 10, NO. 18, OCTOBER 2015 ISSN 1819-6608
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©2006-2015 Asian Research Publishing Network (ARPN). All rights reserved.
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REFERENCES
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