United States Department of Transportation
i
High skew link slab bridge system with deck sliding over backwall or backwall sliding over abutments : part I.
-
2011-09-30
[PDF-3.38 MB]
Details:
-
Creators:
-
Corporate Creators:
-
Corporate Contributors:
-
Subject/TRT Terms:
-
Publication/ Report Number:
-
Resource Type:
-
Geographical Coverage:
-
Edition:Final report; 2008-2011.
-
Corporate Publisher:
-
Abstract:A new bridge design and construction trend to help improve durability and rideability is to remove expansion
joints over piers and abutments. One approach to achieve this is to make the deck continuous over the piers by
means of a link slab while the girders remain simply supported. The need to implement link slabs is indicated
by AASHTO LRFD section 2.5.2.4 which requires using a minimum number of expansion joints to improve
rideability. Further, due to durability concerns associated with bridge deck joints, it is preferred to have a least
number of joints or develop jointless decks. The expansion joints over the abutments can be removed by one of
three methods: deck sliding over back wall, semi-integral abutments, and integral abutments. This results in
expansion joints at either or both ends of the approaches. The design concerns other than link slab include
backwall and wing-wall design and bearing movement. The behavior of a jointless bridge brings about many
challenges to bridge designers. The complexity is augmented when skew is involved.
This report complements an earlier report based on previous research on Combining Link Slab, Deck Sliding
Over Backwall and Revising Bearings (Aktan et al., 2008) where the behavior of straight and moderately skew
(skew < 200) link slab bridges were investigated and design recommendations were developed. This report
describes the behavior and performance of high skew (skew > 200) jointless bridges with link slabs and two
abutment configurations. These abutment configurations are deck sliding over backwall and backwall sliding
over abutments (i.e. semi-integral abutments).
Four tasks were performed in this project. The first task was to review and synthesize information related to the
behavior, performance, design, and analysis of skew bridges. The second task was field assessment of skew
bridge behavior under static truck loads and thermal loads. The third task was analytical and numerical analysis
of skew link slabs. The final task was analytical and numerical analysis of skew sliding deck over backwall
systems and semi-integral abutments.
Design recommendations are developed based on literature, field assessment data analysis, finite element
modeling, and subsequent simulations of the numerous models developed in this project. One recommendation
deals with the skew link slab design and the remaining recommendations are for bearing selection and selection
and design of a transverse restraint system at abutments of skew link slab bridges.
-
Format:
-
Funding:
-
Collection(s):
-
Main Document Checksum:
-
Download URL:
-
File Type:
