Precast-Prestressed Concrete I-Beam Bridges
Precast-Prestressed Concrete I-Beam Bridges
Precast-Prestressed Concrete I-Beam Bridges
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PRECAST-PRESTRESSED CONCRETE I-BEAM BRIDGES
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for By PAUL H. KAAR and ALAN H. MATTOCK 0
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.a- Paul H. Karr, Development Engineer, Portland
nt Cement Association, Structural D evelopment Sec-
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Synopisis
This paper concerns the research on grade separation bridges in
progress at th e Portland Cement Association Laboratories. The bridges
consist of separately placed pre-cast-pre- tensioned girders, combined with
a cast-in-place roadway slab. Continuity is estabushed by addition of
normal bar reinforcement over the girder ends acting togeth er with girder
end di aphragms. The research includes studies of component parts as
well as integral behavior of tl1e bridge as a whole.
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is effective, or if stand ard sections are used the reinforcing required will be
less. In either case, th e net result is th e same: more bridge per dollar.
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( 2) The reserve load capacity of a simply supported girder can be
governed by a single cross-sectional region. In a continuous structure how-
ever, overload will lead to moment redistribution so that several sectio~s gov-
ern ultim ate strength. Accordingly, continuity tends to minimize reductions in
overload capacity caused by variability in properties of concrete and reinforce-
ment.
( 3) If the roadway deck is made continuous, the drainage of water and
ice removal salts can be easily controlled. The elimination of the roadway
joint will also improve the riding surface and reduce maintenance.
Why were such obvious adva ntages in bridge design not incorporated into
these structures long ago? Why have so many bridges of multiple simple spans
been constructed? The first reason concerns the fabrication of prestressed concrete
girders. Since labor is expensive in this country, designers and fabricators have
both sought mass production techniques using minimum labor. The pre-
tensioning type of prestressing is best suited for this mass production and has
become immensely popular for this reason. These separate girders can most
easily be used as simply supported spans.
While some designers were quick to .see the advantage of added reinforce-
ment over the girder ends to establish some degree of continuity, thre was very
little information available regarding th e degree of continuity. Because of this
lack of data designers frequently added the improvement without considering it C(
in their calculations.
Precast-prestressed girders used in conjunction witl1 a continuous roadway tl
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deck were tl1erefore selected for development study to provide better desigo
criteria.
Forms of Continuity Connection
Various metl10ds have been used for establishing continuity in separately c
placed concrete girders. Probably the earliest solution was developed by e1
Freyssinet by a "cap cable," shown in Fig. 1. By this method cables spanning
"CAP CABLE•
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SIMPLY SUPPORTED BEAM SIMPLY SUPPORTED e1
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'-ANCHORAGE
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1 PRECAST GIRDER II
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PRECAST GIRDER
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STAGE l - PRECAST GIRDERS PLACED ON BRIDGE PIERS BY CRANE
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CONV ENTIONAL DE FOAMED BAR REl!!.ORCEMENT
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STAGE D - CONVENTIONAL DEFORMED BAR REINFORCEMENT FIXED IN PLACE OVER SUPPORT
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STAGE m- DECK AND DIAPHRAGMS CAST IN PLACE. CONVENTIONAL DEFORMED
BAR REINFORCEMENT NOW BONDED TO PRECAST GIRDERS
Experimental Program
The following subjects relating to such bridges were investigated in a
y comprehensive laboratory project directed toward providing data for more
y economical design:
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(1) Girder Continuity
The first phase of the project inv.olved tests to establish the effectiveness of
the type of continuity connection discussed above. Pretensioned girders without
end blocks and with straight strands were used in the study, since these lead to
the most severe conditions possible at the connection. In this case, the precom-
pression at the bottom flange of the girder will be greater than in girders with
either end blocks or deflected strands. The connection behavior when compres-
sion from prestress and from applied negative moments are combined at the
as bottom girder flange can then be studied to clarify a possible detrimental influence
m of precompression in the bottom flange of the girders. Connections of this type
were tested by joining two six-ft. long girder st ubs over a central support as shown
in Fig. 3. The ends of tl1e girder stubs were loaded, producing maximum negative
es moment over the single support. Variables consisted of three different amounts
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of deck reinforcing steel combined with three different amounts of prestressing.
ix Deck reinforcing might be termed light, medium, or heavy, corresponding to
0.83, 1.66, and 2.49 per cent, based on girder depth times width of the bottom
Range. The prestress amounts can be described as none, medium, and large,
corresponding to initial concrete precompression in the bottom flange of 0, 2100,
and 3200 pounds per square inch.
The theoretical ultimate strengtl1 of each connection was computed, first
neglecting any influence of the precompression of th e bottom flange, and ,secondly
assu~~g precompression over tl1e full girder flange length. An important char-
te actenstic of pre-tensioned girders is the prestress transfer length in which the
e· steel _stress is gradually transferred to the concrete. There actually is no precom-
of pression at the end of the girder. Then too, precompression from prestress and
ompress from negative bending are not additive, because compression from
e, 8ex11re releases prestress in a similar manner as prestress is reduced in ;i loaded
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Fig. 3-Test of Continuity Connection.
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:a Fig . 5-Horizontal Shear Test using Composite Girder.
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for vertical shear in the girders of this type and protruding into the roadway I b
are sufficient for composite action. A complete description of these tests sad
the developed data is included in the forthcoming PCA Development Departm:n0 t
Bulletin D35, "Horizontal Shear Connections."
( 3) Bridge Design Studies
A two-span two-lane continuous highway bridge to carry the AASHO
st~ndard H20-Sl6 loading wa~ ~ext desi~ed, ~ ith dimensions as shown by
Fig. 6. All phases of th e prehmmary design, with the exception of the girder
A
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f------- ss'-o" -------t--------- 66'-o"
A
ELEVATION
SECTION A-A
connections and the horizontal shear connections, conformed either to the 1957
edition of AASHO "Standard Specifications for Highway Bridges" or to the ACI-
ASCE report "Recommended Practice for Prestrnssed Concrete." Design criteria
for the exceptions noted were based on laboratory tests. This design emphasized
the need for additional development work as described in the points following.
( 4) Shearing Strength
Shearing streng th of the girders in the region of the continuity connection
was investigated by a series of tests on the type of specimen shown in Fig. 7.
( The blocks suspended from th e girders are not part of the loading but are an
added dead weight to produce the same dead weight stresses in the one-half
scale model as would exist in the prototype.) A half-scale girder, together with
a cast-in-place roadway deck and including a tied-down cantilever were used for
the test specimen. By varying the tie-down force, rotation of the joint was
prevented, thus simulating continuity. The variables were the spacing of the
stirrup web reinforceement and the location of th e applied loads. These loads
simulated the distribution of loads in the AASHO H20-Sl6 design truck. Four-
teen combinations of stirrup spacing and load location have been tested. The
prestress in the girder was found to exert a favorable inRuence on ultimate shear
strength in the specimen.
( 5) Flexural Strength
A fully con tinuous girder and deck slab were tested in flexure as shown in
Fig. 8. The loading simulated the distribution of loads in the AASHO equivalent
lane loading and was arranged to produce maximum bending moments at the
interior support. The specimen behaved in a very satisfactory manner, the p
maximum load sustained being about seven times the design live load plus the g
weight of the girder. The girder section was designed for 1.5 times dead load g
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p~us 2.5 times live load plus impact with no tension in the bottom face of the
~rder. Moment redistribution occurred to a very large extent, and hence the
girder was in effect over-designed from the point of view of ultimate strength.
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( 6) Creep and Shrinkage Studies
Two 66-ft. continuous girders fabricated to half-scale have been under long-
time study, as shown in Fig. 9, to better evaluate the effects of creep and
Fig. 9- Continuous Precast- Prestresse d Bridg e Gird ers Subj ect to Sustain ed Load.
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Fig. 10-Dynamic Load Test of Connection Between two Precast- Prestressed Girder Stubs.
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II tests and overload tests In the service load tests 10 000 or 20 000 lb concrete
js blocks were applied se~arately to 50 different lo'cati~ns on th e' bridg; roadway
.d to determine lateral distribution of loads and influence curves. At th e conclusion
of tl1e service load tests, the bridge was loaded to destruction by application of
loads simulating the distribution of axle loads in the extraordinary equivalent
military truck load, for which bridges on ilie Interstate Highway System must
be designed. The mass of data obta_in~d is still being processed and will appear
in a series of Portland Cement Association Development Department Bulletins.
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