Axial live load distribution among single row of piles of integral bridges

Abstract

This study investigates the axial live load distribution among steel H-piles in single-span integral bridges. To achieve this, two- and three-dimensional finite-element models for various integral bridges are conducted and analysed using the structural analysis software SAP2000, to determine the maximum axial loads in steel H-piles within two- and three-dimensional models. Subsequently, axial live load distribution factors from the ratio of axial loads calculated from these models are derived. The parametric study reveals that girder spacing and pile spacing exert notable influences on the axial live load distribution among the steel H-piles in integral bridges. Then, non-linear regression analysis is employed to formulate practical equations as functions of these two parameters. These equations can effectively calculate the live load distribution factors for the piles in integral bridges. To validate the accuracy of the live load distribution factors calculated from the proposed formulae, a comparative analysis is performed with results obtained from structural analysis. The standard deviations of the ratios between these two results are found to be a mere 2%. This clearly demonstrates that the developed formulae yield highly precise estimates of axial live load effects in integral bridge piles.