Evaluation of structural performance of steel-concrete joints in Hybrid Girder Bridges

Abstract

The steel-concrete joint, serving as a transition zone between the steel and concrete girders, is the key component for transferring force among the hybrid girder systems. Despite the expected smooth transition of stiffness, high strength, easy fabrication, and verified static resistance, the structural performance of the steel-concrete joint under service loadings in a long-term period remains unclear. In this study, a FE model of a 1/2 steel-concrete joint from a real bridge is established to explore the long-term performance of the structure. Numerical results show that the minimal relative slip between the concrete infill and steel girder indicated the reliable capability of the steel-concrete joint, and the maximum concrete and steel stresses are 8.8 MPa and 192.8 MPa, respectively, which are far less than the material’s ultimate strength. The outcomes of this study can serve as a reference for analyzing the long-term performance of steel-concrete joints in hybrid girder bridges.