Suggestion models of temperature differentials for the composite box girder bridge

Abstract

The trend and behavior of Composite Box Girder Bridge (CBGB) are distinctly affected by the surrounding combination environment actions due to these constructions are erected in open environments. From this consideration, this research deals with the effect of the bridge’s longitudinal axis, the geometrical configuration of CBGB and the thickness of the asphalt in addition to the season parameters on the temperature differentials under the combination of the surrounding environment actions; solar radiation, atmospheric temperature, and wind speed. To achieve this aim, the full-scale experimental composite concrete slab-steel box girder segment constructed on a campus of Gaziantep University and Finite Element (FE) program (COMSOL) activated. Two temperature differential models (vertical and horizontal) introduced during the typical summer actions, which considered as the reference thermal inputs when studied all parameters. This research demonstrated that the fashion of temperature differential weather along or across the CBGB was not sensitive under all ranges of the individual parameters generally. Additionally, based on the obtained results from this research, the vertical and horizontal of temperature differential models are proposed that can aid the engineers in design practices of such constructions without restoring to experimental tests that are always costly.