Nonlinear Finite Element Analysis for a Prestressed Continuous Rigid Frame Concrete Bridge

Abstract

Bridges in China are always suffered from the overload traffic, so precise assessment for the safety of the bridges is important. Nonlinear FE analysis with the consideration of damage accumulation, material nonlinearity and boundary connection is a powerful tool for this problem, which is cheaper than test and more accurate than linear FE analysis. But nonlinear FE analysis for prestressed concrete bridge in China still has not been widely accepted. Hence, in this paper, a nonlinear FE analysis for a prestressed continuous rigid frame concrete bridge is implemented with the comparison of a large-scale bridge experiment so as to discuss the modeling technique and to verify the result of numerical model. Nonlinear behaviors such as prestress, cracks, crush of concrete, yield of rebar and contact of support are taken into account. Ten different load cases to represent different overloads are all simulated in both FE model and experimental model. Through the analysis, it can be concluded that nonlinear FE model correctly monitor the performance and damage of the bridge.