Evaluation of Effects of Fire on the I-465 Mainline Bridges : Volume I

Details

• Alternative Title:
  JTRP Technical Reports
• Creators:
  Connor, Robert J. ; Varma, Amit H. ; Marcu, Sorin ; Sherman, Ryan J.
• Corporate Creators:
  Purdue University. Joint Transportation Research Program
• Corporate Contributors:
  Indiana Department of Transportation ; United States. Federal Highway Administration
• Subject/TRT Terms:
  Behavior Bridge Composite Action Controlled Load Tests Environmental Impacts Fatigue Fatigue (Mechanics) Fire Fires Girder Girders Load Tests Steel Steel Bridges

  More +
• Publication/ Report Number:
  FHWA/IN/JTRP-2012/12
• Resource Type:
  Tech Report
• Geographical Coverage:
  Indiana
• Edition:
  Final report.
• Corporate Publisher:
  Purdue University. Joint Transportation Research Program
• Abstract:
  On October 22, 2009, in Indianapolis, Indiana, a semi tanker carrying liquefied propane lost control on the underpass from I‐69
  
  southbound to I‐465 eastbound, crashing beneath the east and westbound bridges carrying mainline I‐465 traffic. The tanker rolled,
  
  causing the tractor to catch fire and the propane tanker to explode. There were concerns the steel superstructure and the high‐strength
  
  (HS) bolts used in the beam splices were affected by the fire. Also, since the bridge deck was built composite with the steel
  
  superstructure, there were concerns the composite action might have been lost or diminished causing the bridge to not behave as it was
  
  originally designed. Therefore, the study was focused on identifying any short‐term or long‐term effects the bridge may have sustained
  
  due to the fire exposure. To address the short‐term effects, immediately after the accident, several core samples and HS bolts were
  
  removed and sent to independent testing laboratories. To establish any long‐term effects, field testing was performed over a period of
  
  approximately four (4) months. Weldable resistance strain gages were installed at key locations to understand the behavior of the
  
  bridge under load and to develop the stress‐range histograms. Both controlled load tests, using test trucks of known weight and
  
  geometry, and long-term monitoring of random traffic were performed as part of the study.
  
  The results presented in this report show the following: The explosion and subsequent fire did not negatively impact the properties of the steel in the main girders, nor the properties
  
  of the HS bolts; The explosion and subsequent fire did not negatively impact the overall load distribution nor adversely alter the behavior of
  
  the bridge; Controlled load testing and long‐term monitoring confirmed the steel girders are acting compositely with the concrete deck; Based on the results of the long‐term monitoring, infinite fatigue life is expected at all the monitored locations.
  
  
• Format:
  PDF
• Funding:
  SPR-3474
• Collection(s):
  US Transportation Collection
• Main Document Checksum:
  urn:sha-512:c3708c4bc55a4db611b532576b0f691ce004ff9291f8643f3d5e0bf4a2a3dd671716779157783a84b7f4dab8de97e5e9c93d2fdf9bb9fc2db3aab59eea664cd1
• Download URL:
  https://rosap.ntl.bts.gov/view/dot/25244/dot_25244_DS1.pdf
• File Type:
  [PDF - 12.54 MB ]