United States Department of Transportation
i
Reduction of bridge construction and maintenance costs through coupled geotechnical and structural design of integral abutment bridges.
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2014-06-01
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Abstract:Elimination expansion joints in the superstructure of integral abutment bridges offers the advantage of reducing the initial and life cycle
costs of the structure. However, such elimination may have an adverse effect on the displacement demand at the pile‐abutment
connection and on the earth pressures on the abutment wall due to the thermal expansion/contraction cycles of the bridge. These
adverse effects have resulted in regulations that impose restrictions on the maximum length and skew angle of integral abutment
bridges. This research consisted of a deep analysis of the problem by considering soil‐structure interaction. The approach was
multifaceted as it included experimental and numerical analysis. Upon calibration and verification of the constitutive model, it was used
as part of a parametric analysis to provide recommendations for the design limits of integral abutment bridges.
The analysis results showed that active state earth pressure is reached after the first contraction cycle. The displacement demand on
piles is a function of the abutment wall displacement. Larger displacement demand of the pile at the acute corner when compared to
the obtuse corner was observed during expansion and contraction cycles. The inflection point of the piles deformed shape was found to
be at relatively shallow depth. Concrete shrinkage and sequence of loading affected significantly the displacement demand of the
supporting piles, lower displacement demand of piles during the expansion cycle and larger displacement demand during contraction
cycles. The analysis showed that a 500 ft bridge with 60° skew will provide acceptable long term performance.
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