Advanced bridge safety initiative : phase 2, task 2 - effects of curb and railing inclusion on rating factors of reinforced concrete flat slab bridges using finite element analysis.
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2017-03-01
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Abstract:The Maine Department of Transportation (Maine DOT) owns a number of existing reinforced concrete slab
bridges that utilize the standard Maine concrete bridge rail. At issue is the additional stiffening and strengthening
that the curb and this rail provides to these structures, especially at the slab edge which is often the critical location
for load rating. The University of Maine (UMaine) conducted finite-element parametric studies to assess the effect
of the integral curb and integral bridge rail on slab capacity as measured by the HL-93 inventory rating factor
(RF). The analyses focused on typical, two-lane slab bridges. Overall, it was found that incorporating the stiffness
of the integrated thickened curb increased the rating factor for concrete flat slab bridges from 1.0 to between 1.24
and 1.73 depending upon span and whether or not a wearing surface (WS) was included. When the stiffness of the
integrated curb and rail was included in the analysis the rating factor increased from 1.0 to at least 1.90 depending
on span and wearing surface inclusion.
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