Abstract

<p>In recent years, horizontally curved bridges have been widely used in congested urban areas, where multi- level interchange structures are necessary for modem highways. A series of horizontally curved bridges were analyzed in this study using a commercial finite-element program, ABAQUS. In each analysis, the behavior of bridges was investigated, and the major internal forces developed in the members were determined. Specifically, stresses, vertical deflections, vertical reactions and natural frequencies for different values of the horizontal angle of curvature. These values compared with the values of a straight bridge of similar span and cross-section configuration. Bridges taken into account were single and twospan horizontally curved concrete slab bridges, concrete T -beam bridges, concrete cellular bridges, concrete box girder bridges, slab-on-steel !-girder bridges, and composite steel box girder bridges. The design parameters considered were degree of curvature, span length, number of lanes, number of girders and/or boxes, and span-to-depth ratio. The stipulation made in bridge codes for treating a curved bridge as straight one is examined. Based on the data generated from the parametric study, sets of empirical expressions were developed to evaluate stress, deflection, reaction, and frequency distribution factors in a curved bridge system as related to a straight bridge system. Then these expressions were extended to establish more reliable expressions for curvature limitation to treat a curved bridge as straight one. </p>

Highlights

  • The Canadian Highway Bridge Design Code (CHBDC) (2006), the Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) Guide Specifications for Horizontally Curved Bridges, (Guide, 2003), and AASHTOLRFD (AASHTO, 2007) have specified certain limitations to treat horizontally curved bridges as straight one, but still more investigations are needed to examine these limitations for different bridges configurations, by considering new parameters, developing empirical expressions for stress, reaction, deflection, and frequency distribution factors to assist in filling the gaps found in the bridge codes

  • Increase in the degree of curvature leads to significant increase in the stress, deflection, and reaction distribution factors, and decrease in the frequency distribution factor

  • (2) This study showed that the reaction distribution factor is absolutely the most critical factor for treating single-span curved concrete and steel box-girder bridges as straight one, while the deflection distribution factor is the critical one for double-span concrete and steel multi-box girder bridges

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Summary

A Thesis Presented to Ryerson University

I hereby declare that I am the sole author of this thesis. I authorize Ryerson to lend this document to other institutions or individuals for the purpose of scholarly research. E. Khalafalla I further authorize Ryerson University to reproduce the document by photocopying or by other means, in total or part, at the request of other institutions or individuals for the purpose of scholarly research. Ryerson University requires the signatures of all persons using or photocopying this thesis.

General
The Problem
Objectives
Contents and Arrangement of this study
Horizontally Curved Concrete Bridge Types
T-Beam Bridges
Box-Girder Bridges The Box-Girder
Horizontally Curved Steel Bridge Types
Steel-Concrete Composite 1-Girder Bridges
Steel-Concrete Composite Box Girder Bridges
Limitations for Neglecting Curvature Effect in Horizontally Curved Bridges
Guide Specifications for Horizontally Curved Steel Girder Highway Bridges (AASHTO 2003)
Closed box and Tub Girders
AASHTO-LRFD Bridge Design
Canadian Highway Bridge Design Code (CHBDC)
General Review of
Other Research Studies
Finite-Element Approach
The Finite Element Program ABAQUS
Concrete Solid Slab
Slab-On-Steel 1-Girder
Research Assumptions
Finite-Element Bridges modeling
Aspect Ratio
Concrete Bridges Modeling
Composite Bridges
Boundary Conditions
Calculation of the Reaction Distribution Factors
Calculation of the Stress Distribution Factors
3.10 Calculation of the Deflection Distribution Factors
3.11 Calculation of the Frequency Distribution Factors
Effect of Curvature on Distribution Factors
Deflection Distributions in Simply Supported and Continuous Curved Bridges
Reaction Distributions in Simply Supported and Continuous Curved Bridges
Frequency Distributions in Simply Supported and Continuous Curved Bridges
Development of New Distribution Factor Equations for Curved Bridges
Comparison between Curvature
Deflection Distribution Factor (DDF)
Reaction Distribution Factor (RDF)
AASHTO Guide Specifications 1993 Limitations
AASHTO Guide Specifications 2003 Limitations
AASHTO-LRFD Guide Specifications 2007 Limitations
Summary
Conclusions
Recommendations for Future Research

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