Optimization of Prestress Reinforcement Design in Large-Span Prestressed Concrete Continuous Rigid Frame Bridges

Abstract

As the span became longer and the accumulation of service period of bridges, the problem that deflection of main span has also clearly emerged. To reduce long term deflection of large-span prestressed concrete continuous rigid frame bridges, tendon group-additional bending moment influence matrix method is proposed to optimize the design of prestressed reinforcement. Based on elasticity assumption, an optimum prestressed tendon arrangement can be derived by least square method. The new design is tested to be effective considering shrink and creep effect which fulfills the practical application.