Deck Construction Research Articles

Applications of the GPR Technique to indoor, bridge deck and pier structures: case studies in Turkey

ABSTRACTThis paper presents the results of three ground‐penetrating radar case studies applied to indoor, bridge deck, and pier construction types in Turkey. In these studies, 270‐MHz and 1600‐MHz anten‐nas were employed to determine the ability limits for construction materials and diagnostic problems associated with the materials. In addition, the importance of the selected survey direction was tested during measurement. Analysing the significance of the migration technique during the data processing stage was another important goal of these case studies. The first case study analyses the indoor applications (e.g., house, villa, and fabric) of ground‐penetrating radar and aims to identify possible cracks, structural defects, and corrosion damage. The second case applies ground‐penetrating radar to a bridge deck. The third case investigates pier construction by establishing the layout of the construction materials. Identifying possible defects, including structural problems within the pier structure, was another goal. These case studies provide interesting results in terms of physically characterizing the concrete structure and the locations of rebar and slab conditions; the work also reveals the moisture and corrosion effects inside the construction materials on indoor, bridge and pier applications of ground‐penetrating radar.

Arching behaviour of precast concrete slabs in a deconstructable composite bridge deck

This paper describes the results of the testing of precast concrete slabs in a deconstructable composite steel–concrete system for the construction of bridge decks. Benign arching action is utilised to carry the point (wheel) loads to the supports and to develop the required slab capacity; the failure mode and load–deflection response of the precast concrete slabs being investigated in the study. Twelve half-scale precast reinforced concrete slab strips were tested, with the slabs being attached to steel girders using friction grip bolts to provide shear connection between the deck and the supporting steel girders. The systems were tested under a monotonically increasing point load, which simulates vehicle wheel loading. The configuration and proportion of the reinforcing steel bars and the types of transverse cross-bracing and transverse straps were the main test variables. It is concluded that friction grip bolted shear connectors can prevent relative slip between the steel girders and concrete deck slabs, so that the equilibrating tension force in the cross-bracing/transverse straps, required to develop compressive arching in the slabs, can be developed. The arching effect in the slabs is very beneficial, and cannot be ignored in rational structural design processes.

«El Carrizo»: construcción con lanzadoras de un tablero atirantado por avance en voladizo

The “El Carrizo” bridge is located on the road from Durango to Mazatlán, a route embodying the inter-oceanic link between the Gulf of Mexico and the Pacific Coast. Its main structure is a cable-stayed bridge with its bridge deck executed by incremental cantilever method and a central pylon. The present article focuses on the construction process used in this stretch, as it represented the achievement of a major challenge in terms of both the complexity of the surrounding conditions and also the optimization achieved in the use of pre-existing resources and equipment. The requirements for construction in a very short space of time, together with the risks of importing tailor-made equipment for the construction of an incremental cantilever bridge led to the company opting for the adaptation of existing means available (launching girders for the construction of bridge decks with prefabricated beams), logically more suited to bridge types other than the one concerned with in this case.

Construction of Bridge Decks with Pre-Cast, Pre-Stressed Concrete Deck Planks

The research analyzes the use of precast prestressed concrete deck planks in the construction of bridge decks. Will the use of these precast prestressed styles PPC’s aid in the durability of the construction, or will there be issues in the initial stages itself that has to be handled? And whether these constructions are in any way cost effective (as in lower number of rejection rates of the planks manufactured) are some the questions that are investigated here. A case study based research method has been adopted here. The case study is that of the bridge deck replacements that were carried out by the Illinois Department of transportation in 1999-2000. The bridge deck replacements were done by means of PPCs. The research also aims to find whether the bridge deck replacements that were carried out had early performance issues. It was established that there were indeed early performance issues, but these could be mitigated by means of load testing and the use of high-grade materials.

BOND STRENGTH OF STEEL-CONCRETE COMPOSITE ELEMENTS USING A CEMENTITIOUS ADHESIVE

Steel-concrete composite slabs have been used for bridge deck construction in Japan because of several advantages, e.g., safety construction and high fatigue durability. On the other hand, these slabs may cause negative influences such as overweight, increasing costs and low constructability, due to many mechanical shear connectors. The quantities of shear connectors may be reduced by gluing steel-plate and concrete with a cementitious adhesive. The present study aims at examining shear bond strength and quantifying the dispersion of the strength. To investigate the dispersion, a double-lap shear test is conducted, in addition to a simple direct shear test, to examine surface treatment. A Monte Carlo Simulation using the Weibull distribution of the strength is performed to evaluate the effect of dispersion. The simulation implies that the shear stress due to the traffic load may be negligible, indicating the applicability of the composite system for highway bridge decks.

Abrasion Resistance Of Reactive Powder Concrete: The Influence Of Water-to-cement Ratio And Steel Micro-fibers

Reactive Powder Concrete (RPC) is characterized by high cementitious material content, very low water to cement ratio and steel micro-fiber reinforcement. This type of cementitious composite has greater ductility, durability and mechanical properties compared to traditional concrete. Abrasion resistance of the composite material is still not well understood, although it has a variety of applications, including bridge deck construction and floor covering. In the scope of this study, three water-to-cement ratios and various micro-fiber volume fractions were investigated. Mechanical properties under steam curing were determined. Cubic specimens with a 71 mm side were prepared for the surface abrasion test by means of Bohme apparatus. In addition, the flexural toughness and Charpy impact tests were performed on unnotched prismatic specimens. A relationship between loss of mass by the Bohme abrasion test and mechanical properties was investigated. Test results indicated that abrasion resistance and mechanical properties can be improved by incorporating steel micro-fiber. The positive effect of fibers can be enhanced by reducing W/C ratio. It seems that RPC has a great potential to use in civil engineering structures subjected to abrasion. Copyright © 2014 VBRI press.

A Computer-Aided Conceptual Cost Estimating System for Pre-Stressed Concrete Road Bridges

The need for an environmentally friendly design of modern motorways increases the construction of bridges, which has exhibited substantial overruns above estimated costs. Therefore, easy to use, inexpensive and accurate methods for conceptual cost estimating are needed. This paper presents a computer-aided cost estimating system for pre-stressed concrete road bridges that provides estimates of the material quantities and cost of all bridge elements. It relies on a database incorporating actual data collected from recently constructed bridges and exploits material estimating models developed with statistical analysis. Different configurations are devised from short to long-span bridges, accounting for the major deck construction methods and foundation systems. The system can be easily used to provide different cost estimates to the owner, designer and contractor during the project's early stages. By allowing reliable cost estimates in a short time, the proposed computer-aided system represents a useful decision making tool.

The application of virtual reality technology in the construction of bridge: The cantilever and incremental launching methods

Abstract Virtual reality technology was applied to the development of two models related to the activity of bridge construction. One model presents the cantilever method of bridge deck construction and the other model concerns the incremental launching method of bridge deck construction, both frequently used construction techniques. The developed interactive applications make it possible to show the physical evolution of the construction work, the monitoring of the planned construction sequence, and the visualization of details of the form of every component of each construction. They also support the study of the type and method of operation of the equipment necessary for these construction methodologies. Specialists in construction processes and bridge design were consulted and involved in the development of the educational models in order to obtain efficient, accurate didactic applications. The pedagogic considerations and the technical knowledge transmitted by the models are evident in the selection of the quantity and type of elements to show in each virtual model, and in the choices made regarding the sequence in which those elements are shown as well as in the relationship established between the components of both types of construction. The developed models bring new perspectives to teaching as a support when discussing new curricular issues or complex sequence construction, both students and teachers interacting with the VR models.

Design and Testing of a Concrete Safety Barrier for Use on a Temporary FRP Composite Bridge Deck

AbstractFiber-reinforced polymer (FRP) composite materials can be used for the fabrication of lightweight, corrosion-resistant honeycomb sandwich panels, representing a convenient and economical alternative to traditional steel RC for bridge decks. Composite panels are particularly advantageous for the construction of temporary bridge structures in terms of both ease of construction and reusability of panels. Although FRP sandwich panels have been considered for the construction of bridge decks, no barrier system has been developed and crash tested for use with this specific type of deck. The objective of this research project was to develop a crashworthy concrete barrier system for use with temporary FRP composite bridge decks. Upon failure of a full-scale crash test with a New Jersey concrete safety shape barrier, an accurate analysis of the potential problems led to a series of design modifications to the barrier as well as to the attachment between the composite deck and both the bridge structure and ...

Roller Compacted Concrete Dam Compacted Thickness Increased Analytical Quality Assurance

At present, roller compacted concrete (called RCC) technology has developed rapidly. So in order to make the RCC dam, RCC dam construction technologies have been further developed and accelerate its construction schedule. Many projects have begun to regulate the conduct of RCC which has been breakthrough in compaction layer thickness 30cm field test, which by increasing RCC compaction layer thickness. Many experiments construction proved that: RCC roller compacted concrete layer thickness increasing is feasible. However the increasing compaction thickness, the deck construction process and the successful completion of the jelling time of concrete is the key factors to ensure quality of the dam. It is the big prerequisite for completion. We will integrate field test to the quality control of the dam after the compacted layer thickness is increased.

Application of Steel Bar Truss Deck Construction Technology in a Large Steel Project

Steel bar truss deck is a kind of combination template which is processed into steel trusses with steel, and welded steel bar truss and galvanized steel sheeting into a whole. It has many advantages such as economical, convenient, safe and reliable, etc. It can withstand the concrete weight and construction loads and installed directly on the steel beam without support at the bottom. This paper introduces the construction technology of steel bar truss deck with Tianjin Museum engineering examples. The technology has made a better construction, and ensured the construction period and the quality of the project in this project.

Whiteman Creek Bridge: A synthesis of accelerated bridge construction, ultrahigh- performance concrete, and fiber-reinforced polymer

The replacement of the Whiteman Creek Bridge, located in Ontario Canada, is described in this paper. Synthesizing accelerated bridge construction, ultra-high-performance concrete, and fiber-reinforced polymer reinforcement, a three-span, concrete T-beam bridge was replaced with a single-span bridge during a seven-week highway closure. Age, condition, and shear cracks in the T-beams made the replacement necessary, and prefabricated components such as precast concrete abutments, wing walls, deck elements, and steel girders were used. To enhance durability, glass-fiber-reinforced polymer (GFRP) bars were used in the top reinforcing mat of the precast concrete deck elements and in the cast-in-place concrete barrier walls; conventional black reinforcement steel was used for the bottom reinforcing mat. Ultra-high performance concrete reduced the dimensions of joints between precast concrete elements and eliminated formwork on the deck. Deck slab erection, grouting, and construction of the bridge are described, and the project timing and costs are discussed.

조름나물이 서식하는 동해안 석호 습지인 선유담의 생태적 특성 및 보전방안

본 연구의 목적은 동해안 석호 습지인 선유담에서 조름나물이 서식하는 부유성 매트를 중심으로 조름나물 서식지의 생태적 특성을 밝히고, 서식지를 보전하기 위한 방안을 제안하고자 한다. 식생학적 특성을 확인하기 위하여 부유성 매트의 조름나물 서식지를 중심으로 방형구를 이용한 식생조사를 수행하였다. 부유성 매트의 두께 및 수위, 깊이별 유기물 함량을 조사하였다. 표층수의 pH, DO, EC, TDS를 측정하고, 인산, 질산, 암모늄, Ca, K, Na, Mg의 양을 분석하였다. 선유담에는 총 78분류군의 식물이 서식하고 있으며, 부유성 매트의 조름나물 서식지에서 조름나물의 평균 피도는 62.6%, 평균 shoot 밀도는 71.2개/<TEX>$m^2$</TEX>로서 중요한 수반종은 갈대였다. 부유성 매트의 평균깊이는 조름나물 순군락에서 26.5cm, 갈대-조름나물 군락에서 68.9cm였으며, 매트 아래 수위는 각각 106.5cm와 17.7cm였다. 매트의 유기물 함량은 아래로 내려갈수록 감소하여 5cm 깊이에서는 73.7%, 이후 40cm 깊이까지는 43.5~54.6%, 40~60cm 깊이에서는 19.3~21.3%의 범위를 보였다. 표층수의 pH, DO, EC, TDS는 각각 5.06, 46.1%, 59.4 <TEX>${\mu}s/cm$</TEX>, 29.3 mg/L였다. 물에서 인산, 질산, 암모늄의 농도는 각각 47.2, 9321, 15.9 <TEX>${\mu}g/L$</TEX>였으며, Ca, K, Na, Mg의 농도는 11.1, 1.5, 15.1, 11.3 mg/L으로 확인되었다. 습지형 석호인 선유담의 조름나물 서식지는 Hewett의 분류에서 저지대 군락의 일종에 해당한다. 선유담 습지의 조름나물 서식지를 보전하기 위하여 개방수면의 확보, 관찰로 설치, 오염물 유입을 막기 위한 주변 농지로부터의 유입수 차단이 필요하다. The purpose of this study is to investigate the properties of Menyanthes trifoliata habitat in coastal lagoons. To characterize plant composition in the habitats in the lagoon, the plot sampling method was applied. The depths of water and floating mat were measured. Surface water quality factors including pH, electrical conductivity (EC), dissolved oxygen (DO), and total dissolved solids (TDS) were measured in the sites. Phosphate, nitrate, ammonium, and major cations were measured in laboratory. The wetland has 78 taxa of wetland plants. The average coverage and density of M. trifoliata was 62.6% and <TEX>$71.2/m^2$</TEX>, respectively and Phragmites australis is important associate in Sunyoodam lagoon. The average depths of floating mats were 26.5cm in M. trifoliata and 68.9cm in the P. australis-M. trifoliata communities, and the water depth below the mat was 106.5cm and 17.7cm, respectively. The values of pH, DO, EC and TDS in the water were 5.06, 46.1%, 59.4 <TEX>${\mu}s/cm$</TEX>, and 29.3 mg/L, respectively. The concentrations of phosphate, nitrate, and ammonium showed 47.2, 9321, and 15.9 <TEX>${\mu}g/L$</TEX>, respectively. The concentrations of Ca, K, Na, and Mg had 11.1, 1.5, 15.1, and 11.3 mg/L, respectively. The habitats of M. trifoliata in the lagoon corresponds to a kind of lowland communities in Hewett's classification. To conserve the habitats of M. trifoliata in Sunyoodam lagoon, the supply of open water area, the construction of observation deck, and the block of inflow from the surrounding paddy fields are needed in the future.

Optimization of in situ construction of concrete decks: Flexure tests of compact splices of reinforcement between phases

This article presents a study of an alternative casting process for concrete bridge decks executed span-by-span through self-supporting launching falsework or Movable Scaffolding System, focusing on a reduction of the critical path of construction. The efficiency of non-standardized reinforcement splices is evaluated through pure flexure static tests. Noteworthy, due to its geometrically compact characteristics, these splices do not interfere with the movement of the internal formwork of the deck. These original tests demonstrate that such splice solution for connecting reinforcement represents a safe and economical stress transference alternative for different types of concrete classes and performances.

Improving fail-safety of road bridges built with non-ductile fibre composites

Fibre composites are excellent materials for the construction of bridge decks since they are lightweight, show high corrosion resistance and can be pre-fabricated. The bridge deck investigated in this paper is composed of prismatic bars made of glass fibre-reinforced polymer (GFRP). The hollow sections are continuously produced by ‘pultrusion’ and adhesively bonded together in order to achieve an aerial bridge deck.The brittle failure modes of fibre composite materials leads to low material utilisation when designing structural members. For other applications, the low elastic modulus of glass fibre composites compared to steel is also limiting the material utilisation. However this is no decisive design aspect for FRP bridge decks. Several structural details of fibre composite road bridges are scrutinised regarding their failure mode and optimised solutions are developed. Due to the thin walls, the impact of concentrated wheel loads on the deck is a critical load case. Moreover, accidental loads such as errant trucks need to be retained by ductile failure mechanisms.As an additional means of improving fail-safety, a structurally integrated sensor network is being developed which is capable of allowing in part for the safety deficits of the brittle material. The sensors allow for online monitoring and early detection of damages. Due to the integration, the sensors are protected against harsh weather conditions or mechanical damage. Fibre optic sensors have been chosen since they are durable, easy to embed and mean only minor influence to the laminate. The complex sensor-lamina-interaction is being analysed in order to predict measurement results and optimise the sensor layout. Moreover, procedural problems had to be solved like the fibre placement and coupling after the sensor fibre has been embedded. The specimen shows very good accordance to mechanical prognosis and allow for a smart FRP girder which underpins the new concept.

Internal Curing of Concrete Bridge Decks in Utah

The objectives of this research were (a) to monitor in situ bridge deck properties such as moisture and diffusivity for both conventional concrete and concrete containing prewetted lightweight fine aggregate, which is intended to provide internal curing; (b) to compare deck performance in terms of early-age cracking; and (c) to evaluate the compressive strength and chloride permeability of concrete mixtures in the laboratory using cylinders cast in the field at the time of deck construction. The research scope included four bridges—two constructed with conventional concrete and two containing prewetted lightweight fine aggregate—in northern Utah. Data from sensors embedded in the concrete decks indicated that the moisture content of the internally cured concrete was 2% to 3% higher at 28 days than the moisture content of the conventional concrete. Although the internally cured concrete had a higher moisture content, the electrical conductivity values were approximately the same for all decks after a few months; these values suggested that the two types of concrete had similar diffusivity. At 28 days, the average strength of the internally cured concrete was 1% higher than that of the conventional concrete, and the internally cured concrete passed between 2% and 30% less current during the rapid chloride permeability test than the conventional concrete. After 2 months, three to five cracks about 0.2 to 0.3 mm in width were found on each of the conventional concrete bridge decks, but no visible signs of cracking were found in the bridge decks with internal curing.

Effects of production practices on camber of prestressed concrete bridge girders

Although predicting camber can be difficult because it depends on so many random variables, it is necessary to be accurate since too much discrepancy between the predicted and actual camber can result in deck construction problems. In this paper, the factors related to prestressed concrete girder production that could affect the camber are investigated. Camber prediction methods also are discussed. The actual concrete compressive strength was found to be an average of 25% higher than the specified transfer strength at prestress transfer, thus affecting the camber predictions. At 28 days, the actual compressive strength was an average of 45% higher than the specified 28-day strength. The study also showed that camber behavior was varied depending on different girder types and curing methods. Camber was affected significantly by the deformation of internal void forms in box beams and cored-slab girders due to the hydrostatic pressure of the fresh concrete during casting. Strand debonding and transfer length also were important in camber prediction for some girders. The authors propose a refined camber prediction method that uses creep coefficients and prestress losses based on the 2010 AASHTO LRFD Bridge Design Specifications. An approximate method based on PCI Design Handbook: Precast and Prestressed Concrete camber multipliers was also developed. To evaluate these methods, the measured cambers of 382 prestressed concrete bridge girders were compared with predicted values. Both methods were found to provide reasonable estimates of camber. However, for most girder types and curing methods, the refined method was more accurate.

Slab Cracking Control in Continuous Steel-Concrete Bridge Decks

This paper presents a study on the effectiveness of various casting techniques used to control slab tensile stresses during the construction of continuous steel-concrete composite bridge decks. The main features describing the early age behavior of concrete are outlined and available modeling options are considered. A practical procedure is presented for the evaluation of the slab stress state taking place at various construction stages based on the modular ratio approach suggested by Eurocode 4. The method, which can be implemented using commercial software, requires the evaluation of suitable modular ratios and creep coefficients to estimate the time-dependent effects of the concrete slab weight and the thermal, endogenous, and drying shrinkage components. This simplified procedure is then applied to a case study to evaluate, for various casting sequences, the contributions of the concrete weight and shrinkage components to the slab early cracking. Finally, the efficiency of various casting techniques in controlling the slab tensile stresses is presented and discussed.

Experimental Techniques for Lateral Stability Testing of Beams

This paper presents experimental setups used in lateral stability tests of beams. The load frame of the setup effectively eliminates the lateral-translational and torsional restraints at the load application point, while maintaining the vertical orientation of the applied load, despite the lateral deformations and twisting rotations in the specimen. Two different support frames used in the experiments are also presented. The first support frame provides simple support conditions in- and out-of-plane and the second frame simulates the actual support conditions of an elastomeric bearing pad-supported bridge girder before construction of the bridge deck. Finally, experimental methods for determining the deformations and longitudinal strains in a beam undergoing lateral torsional buckling are discussed.

STRENGTH ANALYSIS OF CONTAINER DECK CONSTRUCTION MV. SINAR DEMAK EFECT OF CHARGES CONTAINER USING FINITE ELEMENT METHOD

Abstract MV. Sinar Demak is a type container ship owned PT Samudera Shipping Services. This ship can used container up to 265 teu’s. on his voyage the ship requires condition of ship is safe, especially in the construction structure. This indicates there are loads working on container deck, in operation would cause problems such as deformation, crack, and other problems. In this final project will analyze maximum stress that occur on container deck MV. Sinar Demak with the help of numerical programe FEM software. This analysis is used a static load analysis to determine of characteristics, location of the largest stress and safety factor of container deck construction structure based on variation of the condition state of vessel. The result using numerical programe FEM software obtained maximum stress on the container deck construction structure on sagging condition is 247 N/mm 2 at node 89696 at the frame no 23. Safety factor is true for all condition, safety factor to still water condition is 2,17 for criteria of materials and 1,55 for BKI standard, safety factor for hogging condition is 2,17 for criteria of materials and 1,55 for BKI standard, and safety factor for sagging condition is 1,61 for criteria of materials and 1,157 for BKI standard.