Speed-Zoning to Reduce Dynamic Loads on the Port Isabel Causeway

Lee, Clyde E.; Machemehl, Randy B.

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Speed-Zoning to Reduce Dynamic Loads on the Port Isabel Causeway

1974-03-01
By Lee, Clyde E. ; Machemehl, Randy B.

File Language:

English

Details

Creators:

Lee, Clyde E. ; Machemehl, Randy B.
Corporate Creators:

University of Texas at Austin. Center for Highway Research
Corporate Contributors:

Texas Highway Department ; United States. Department of Transportation. Federal Highway Administration
Subject/TRT Terms:
Resource Type:

Tech Report
Geographical Coverage:

Texas ; United States
Corporate Publisher:

University of Texas at Austin. Center for Highway Research
Abstract:

Since its construction in the early 1950's, the mile-long reinforced concrete causeway structure which connects Padre Island with the Texas mainland has developed significant permanent deformation or sag in most of the 30-foot-long simply supported pan girder type spans that compose the 26-footwide roadway. The resulting profile tends to cause trucks operating at certain speeds to bounce and pitch rather violently and thereby produce dynamic loads that can be more than double the static weight of the vehicle. In order to preserve the structural integrity of the old causeway for the next few months until a new structure can be completed, heavy traffic loads must be controlled. A computer simulation technique, which was used to investigate the complex interaction of the actual road profile with a critical vehicle type (transitmix concrete truck) operating at various speeds, indicates that potentially damaging dynamic loads can be reduced to tolerable levels if truck speeds are kept below about 20 mph. Speed-zoning is recommended as a practical means of reducing dynamic loads on the old causeway.
Format:

PDF
Download URL:

https://rosap.ntl.bts.gov/view/dot/85526/dot_85526_DS1.pdf
File Type:

[PDF - 4.26 MB]
Collection(s):

US Transportation Collection
Main Document Checksum:

urn:sha-512:7afdb20a760bf2329fea1e283b06cd10b35ba06119f4a771dbe32bd1e76bef1a8845075bf4d936197d03b24f457ac0e7e3cc626493cfe6346ac7862b8300765c

File Language:

English

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