Deck Panels Research Articles

Novel reliability method for multidimensional nonlinear dynamic systems

The paper describes a novel structural reliability method, particularly suitable for multi-dimensional structural responses, either measured or numerically simulated over sufficient period of time, resulting in sufficiently long ergodic time series. Unlike other reliability methods the new method does not require to re-start simulation each time system fails, in case of numerical simulation. In case of measured structural response, an accurate prediction of system failure probability is also possible as illustrated in this study. Moreover, classic reliability methods, dealing with time series do not have an advantage of dealing easily with system high dimensionality and cross-correlation between different dimensions.As an example for this reliability study was chosen container ship subjected to large deck panel stresses and extreme roll angles occurring during sailing in harsh weather. Risk of losing containers due to extreme motions is primary concern for ship transport. Due to non-stationarity and complicated nonlinearities of both waves and ship motions, it is a considerable challenge to model such a phenomenon. In case of extreme motions, the role of nonlinearities dramatically increases, activating effects of second and higher order. Moreover, laboratory tests may also be questioned because of the scaling and the sea state choice. Therefore, data measured on actual ships during their voyages in harsh weather provides a unique insight into statistics of ship motions.The aim of this work is to benchmark state of art method, which makes it possible to extract the necessary information about the extreme response from onboard measured time histories. The method proposed in this paper opens up the possibility to predict simply and efficiently failure probability for nonlinear multi-dimensional dynamic system as a whole.

Flexural Behavior of Precast RC Deck Panels with Cast-in-Place UHPFRC Connection

Precast concrete bridge structures have been extensively used because of the mature construction techniques, fast construction, and their economy. Considerable practical applications, however, present certain disadvantages, such as cracking and water infiltration in their normal strength concrete (NSC, compressive strength 40 MPa) joints connecting prefabricated deck panels. Ultra-high performance fiber reinforced concrete (UHPFRC, compressive strength 143 MPa) has been proven highly effective in replacing the conventional cementitious grout materials in precast bridge structures. In the present study, three types of UHPFRC connections, rectangular, zigzag-shaped, and diamond-shaped, were experimentally evaluated on their flexural capacities, interface bonding performances, and failure modes through four-point bending tests (loading rate 0.1 kN/s). The results showed that all the UHPFRC connections exhibited apparently higher flexural capacities than an intact precast NSC member and had such strong UHPFRC-NSC interfacial bonding that the interfacial first-crack strengths were not less than the NSC member. Having the capability of modeling the UHPFRC connections and their interface properties, the developed finite element (FE) models of the precast slabs with UHPFRC connections produce numerical results in good agreement with the flexural tests. By means of the FE models, parametric investigations were carried out to make suggestions on optimizing the UHPFRC connection designs for practical use.

Increasing Inventory Rating Factor of Steel Truss Bridge Through Orthotropic Steel Deck Panel Application

Currently, 18,648 bridges with a total length of 510,366 km have been constructed in Indonesia, but only 86% are in good condition, while the rest are damaged. Steel truss bridge damage generally occurs on the RC decks, and its repair is often implemented through deck replacement or redecking using Orthotropic Steel Deck (OSD) panel. In Indonesia, this method has only been applied limitedly at the Citarum I Bridge in 2009 and the Cisadane Bridge in 2013, while the effect on the existing steel truss bridge is unknown. Therefore, this study aims to evaluate the steel truss bridge performance after OSD panel redecking through numerical modeling. The design process of the OSD panel was carried out by micro-modeling on ABAQUS CAE using shell elements with a mesh size of 50x50 mm and pinned boundary conditions. In this stage, the materials were assumed to be elastic with small deformations. The evaluation of steel truss bridge performance was performed on the A-class steel truss bridge Bina Marga design standard with a 60 m span by comparing the existing bridge inventory rating factor (using RC decks) to OSD panel redecking, which is an indicator of bridge self-weight reduction. Based on the structural macro-model developed using SAP2000, the bridge self-weight reduced the axial tension and compression forces on the steel truss bridge mainframe by 20.6%-24.6% and 20.5%-24.5%, respectively. Consequently, this increased the inventory rating factor by 9.3%-9.5%. In other words, using the OSD panels lighter than the existing RC decks increases the steel truss bridge capacity to resist the live load or vehicle rating throughout its service life.

Experimental investigation and design optimization on flexural behavior of new UHPC deck panel with longitudinal ribs reinforced by steel plates

Due to high strength and superior durability, ultra-high performance concrete (UHPC) is usually used in bridge deck panels to reduce self-weight and improve the anti-cracking capacity. In this study, two schemes of the UHPC deck panel with longitudinal ribs reinforced by steel plates were investigated basing on the Binzhou Yellow River Bridge, including the design considerations and advantages. The experiments were conducted to investigate the flexural behavior of this UHPC deck panel. The experimental results showed that the steel plate can improve the anti-cracking performance and stiffness of the deck more effectively compared to conventional measures of using steel bars. Cracks developed at the position where headed studs were placed due to the weakening of cross-section by high studs. Specimens failed with the appearance of the slightly compressive crack. In addition, the experimental test was simulated by finite element (FE) model in software ABAQUS. The cracking position, load-displacement relationship and strain response of testing specimens were verified by the FE model. For the design purpose, a numerical method was established to analyze flexural behavior including the stiffness, ultimate capacity and strain. The prediction results agreed well with the test results. Further, a parameter analysis was performed and it was clear that the narrow and high rib scheme provided superior flexural properties. Compared with UHPC tensile strength, the steel plate thickness had a more significant effect on the stiffness and ultimate capacity for the specimens. Finally, the segmental FE models were developed for the Binzhou Yellow River Bridge to obtain the actual stress state of the new UHPC deck. The calculation results indicated that the maximum longitudinal nominal stress in the UHPC deck was 7.6 MPa. In addition, when the diaphragm spacing was between 3.0 m and 5.0 m, the longitudinal stress would increase by about 12% with the diaphragm spacing increasing by 0.5 m. The comparisons between the actual stress and experimental results ensured the feasibility of the design.

Shear behavior of innovative high performance joints for precast concrete deck panels

Precast concrete deck panels (PCDPs) are gradually applied in accelerated bridge construction (ABC) to achieve the goal of the fully prefabricated bridge. The joints between PCDPs are vulnerable under complicated stress state. The mechanical properties, feasibility of construction, and durability of joints are the focus to be investigated. This study proposed an innovative joint for PCDPs with high performance materials, including ultra-high performance concrete (UHPC) and carbon fiber-reinforced polymer (CFRP). The shear behavior of the novel joint was investigated on full-scale PCDPs via the static monotonic experiment. In addition, the 3D finite element numerical models were established to study the shear behavior, failure mechanism and influencing parameters of the proposed joints in PCDPs. Furthermore, the analytical models to predict the shear capacity of the proposed joints were developed. The results show that the proposed joints exhibit more reasonable failure mode and possess superior deformation ability compared to conventional joints. The initial stress and anchorage distance of CFRP tendons have obvious effect on the shear capacity. The proposed analytical model is able to accurately evaluate the shear capacity of the high performance joints for PCDPs. This study offers a novel joint type and provides guidance for the design of PCDPs.

Experimental and numerical investigation on optimized ultra-high performance concrete shear key with shear reinforcement bars

Over the last decade, ultra-high performance concrete (UHPC) has been used in highway bridge connections between deck panels and girders due to its superior compressive and tensile strengths, significant tensile toughness, and excellent long-term durability. However, there are limited studies and discussions on the UHPC shear key's design with or without shear reinforcement bars (SRBs) applied for adjacent girder bridges. This study aimed to numerically and experimentally investigate the effectiveness and functionality of SRBs used in an optimized UHPC shear key connection (abbreviated as OPT-SK) developed by the authors in a previous study. To this end, a finite element (FE) direct shear model for Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) shaped shear key (abbreviated as FHWA-SK) was developed and calibrated first. Then, the validated FE model was extended to investigate the OPT-SK's shear behavior with SRBs. To experimentally measure the ultimate load capacity of the OPT-SK, a push-off direct shear (P-ODS) test was carried out on the OPT-SK with SRBs in both pre-crack and post-crack status. The results showed that the OPT-SK with SRBs exhibited a higher carrying load capacity, a more evenly distributed stress, and a lower stress magnitude than the FHWA-SK with SRBs. The cracks or damage mainly initiated and developed in the high strength concrete (HSC) components and the interface between the UHPC and HSC components. The P-ODS test's load-displacements or strains were reported to highlight the SRBs' effectiveness and functionality in the OPT-SK.

Parametric study on dynamic responses of stiffened sandwich composite bridge deck panel

Recently, the use of sandwich composites in different fields of engineering such as aerospace, marine, automobile, pipelines, bridge structure, industrial work, has attracted significant attention. Sensitivity analysis of structures made of sandwich composites is necessary to design them properly and maintain their longevity. The present study analyzes stiffened sandwich composite bridge deck panels and focuses on its sensitivity analysis. The lack of control in the manufacturing of the sandwich composites may lead to non-uniform material properties, and thus variation in its behavior. The variation in the dynamic responses obtained through the free vibration analysis of the bridge deck panel models of stiffened composites due to is studied. The free vibration analysis is implemented using a finite element method. The analysis is carried out with the stiffeners located in different positions and alignments. The glass fiber-reinforced plastic (GFRP) and polyvinyl semi-rigid foam are considered in the face and core layer for modeling the deck panels, respectively. The sensitivity of the bridge deck panels is also observed with the presence of holes of different diameters in the core layer of the sandwich composite plate without stiffeners and with a transverse stiffener. It has been noticed that dynamic response, i.e. the eigenvalue, is sensitive concerning the in-plane parameters of the face layers compared to other parameters. Moreover, an increase in the size of the hole in the core layer results in a decrease in the dynamic response of the stiffened sandwich composite bridge deck panel. The knowledge of the sensitivity of the sandwich composites will be helpful to update the model and also to design the bridge deck for better performance and improved longevity.

Finite element analysis of flexural response of steel joist top chord extensions

This article investigates the flexural response of cantilevered top chord extensions of open web steel joists used in building structures. Currently, no design guidance is available to assess the bending capacity of these members with consideration of local and lateral-torsional buckling failure modes. The objective of the study was to develop a numerical finite element model capable of predicting the behaviour of 13 joist top chord extensions tested in a previous experimental program. The specimens studied have different cross-sections and restraint conditions. Residual stresses and geometric imperfections were included in the models. To achieve good correlation with the test results in terms of ultimate strength, failure mechanism and moment-deflection response, the model had to include the spacers between the top chord individual members, the load distribution system and the supporting beam used in the tests, as well as translational springs simulating lateral and torsional restraining effects of the steel deck panels. The developed finite element model was capable of reliably predict the measured flexural capacities and failure modes of the specimens. It also permitted to confirm that the steel deck panels and the spacers can positively impact the flexural capacity of the top chord extensions.

The Static Behavior of a Ship Deck Panel Made of Composite Materials

A study on the static analysis of a naval panel made of composite sandwich materials is presented. By using FEM, the modeling of a naval floor with a length of 5 m and a width of 2.5 m is performed. Two distinct cases, have been performed: the first model consists of the plate and stiffeners made of steel and the second model concerns a panel made of composite material sandwich type steel / SANFoam103 / steel, and the stiffeners made of steel. A parametric study has been performed. The thickness of the steel faces have 6 mm, and for the core of SANFoam have been selected the thicknesses 5 mm, 10 mm, 20 mm, 40 mm.

Hybrid-laser welding-induced distortions and residual stresses analysis of large-scale stiffener panel

The weld induced-residual stresses and distortions due to hybrid laser welding of a ship deck panel are estimated. A 3-D finite element analysis is developed to estimate the post-weld-induced distortions and residual stresses using a transient indirect, decoupled, thermo-mechanical analysis. The welding simulation and analysis cover butt and fillet welding. The welding sequence is defined as a one-pass butt-weld, and after the cooling process is ended, the fillet weld of stiffeners is applied. The results of the transient thermo-mechanical analysis are validated and compared with experiments. It is concluded that the developed numerical model estimates very well the hybrid laser welding induced distortion and residual stresses. The developed model can be directly implemented in fatigue and ultimate strength structural analysis.

Fatigue behavior of steel ring confinement for a clustered stud shear connector in full-depth precast concrete bridge deck panel

Steel L-angle ring confinement for a cluster of large size studs was found to be the effective resistance for transferring composite actions between the full-depth precast concrete bridge deck panels and steel girders. However, the behavior of this type of confinement is still unclear under the repetitive service load condition. The research investigates fatigue behavior of L-angle steel ring with hook bars for confining a cluster of 4 large size studs (31.8 mm diameter) in the composite full-depth concrete deck system under cyclic loads. Three Push-off specimens were loaded repetitively from the hydraulic jack to observe the fatigue resistance of the deck, the studs, and the ring confinement. The load ranges and cycles of loading were based on fatigue resistance of an individual stud in according to AASHTO LRFD 2012 design specification. The cyclic service loads were performed in a range from 0 to 294 kN (30 Ton-force) in about 3,000 cycles. With initial load ranges from 0 to 98 kN (10 Ton-force) in 1,000 cycles, the fatigue shear resistance could reach higher about 100% as seen by twice number of loading cycles. The loading cycles had more influence than the load range limits in terms of service life, and vice versa in term of resistance. Visual inspections detected initial cracks at the top surface of the concrete deck nearby the jacking zone. With higher load ranges, cracks were propagated to the concrete deck bear to the shear pocket, and finally caused permanent bent out to the ring confinement. However, the splits of concrete were still in place because of hook bars welded to the ring confinement.

Effects of fillet weld to large-size stud shear connector in full-depth precast bridge deck panel

Resistance of large size headed stud shear connectors 31.8 mm (1¼″) diameter for full-depth precast concrete bridge deck panel with steel girders depends on various factors. One important factor is the weld connection between studs and a steel girder. This research presents two main welding effects: (1) beveling shape of the base stud and (2) layers of fillet weld, which could result to effective composite actions. Three groups of specimens were tested varying among three different beveling sizes, and 2 or 3-layer of fillet weld. The first group (S1-N0) contains studs without beveling, the second (S2-N5) and third (S3-N10) groups consist of studs with 5 mm and 10 mm bevel cut widths in 45-degree, respectively. Each was subjected to shear force from the hydraulic jack until failure or bending limit. The studs in S2-N5, both 2 and 3-layer of fillet weld, could obtain maximum shear resistance up to 56.8 kN (5.8 Ton-force). The large relative displacement (up to 56 mm) was carried on the studs in S1-N0 in both 2 and 3-layer of fillet weld. The stiffness (Load/displacement ratio) of the S3-N10 group were about 5% higher than those without beveling in the S1-N0 and S2-N5 group, which were about 3.56 kN/mm (0.4 Ton-force/mm). In terms of failure mode, tearing out at the bottom of the shank studs was appeared in some samples in the S2-N5 and S3-N10 groups, but in the S1-N0 group.

Experimental Study on Composite Floor Panels

This paper presents experimental investigations carried out on various composite floor deck panel systems. The effects of parameters such as concrete shear length, steel thickness, and concrete thickness on the shear and flexural behavior of panels were examined. Shear tests were carried out on identical specimens with four different shear span lengths. Four-point flexural tests were carried out on single-span and double-span specimens. Shear stress-slip, load-deformation, and moment-curvature behaviors were compared. From the test results, the effect of shear strength between the corrugated sheets and concrete governs the failure mechanisms of the flexural test, if there is no shear connector. In all flexural tests the failure is became due to the slippage between the steel panel and concrete.

Bridge load testing and damage evaluation using model updating method

In this paper, the performance of a precast-prestressed box-beam bridge that had been in service for more than 50 years was investigated using a series of static and dynamic load tests. The bridge was instrumented to record individual panel deflections under live loads. A detailed finite element (FE) model was developed for better understanding the bridge behavior with suspected damage at deck panel joints. A comparison between the results of the FE model and actual bridge response confirmed damage at the deck longitudinal joints, also inferred by the observation of reflective cracking on the deck surface. Using the FE analysis and load testing results, a new damage detection method for structural health monitoring of these bridges with precast deck panels was introduced. This method can effectively identify locations and significance of potential deck joint damage based on the measured changes in bridge response and model updating. The results showed that such joint damage affects the bridge integrity, alters the live load distribution, and can potentially reduce the bridge load-carrying capacity.

Experimental Study on Torsional Behavior of Cross-Laminated Timber Skewed Pedestrian Bridge Deck Panels Subjected to Asymmetric Loading

AbstractThe performance of cross-laminated timber (CLT) panels in building applications have been investigated extensively. However, limited information is available regarding the performance of CL...

Mechanical characterization and material variability effects of emerging non-proprietary UHPC mixes for accelerated bridge construction field joints

Accelerated bridge construction (ABC) field joints, e.g. precast deck panels joints, are among the common structural applications of ultra-high performance concrete (UHPC). The higher cost and limited availability of commercial UHPC products have motivated researchers to develop non-proprietary UHPC (NP-UHPC) using locally available materials. One of these efforts is the recent work by the ABC University Transportation Center (ABC-UTC) in the United States to develop NP-UHPC mixes for use in ABC field joints. This paper documents the ABC-UTC mix design and proportions and has two main objectives. First, provide a full material characterization of such mix to allow for future replication and use of this material for different bridge applications as well as modeling purposes. Second, investigate the effect of material sourcing and variability, such as fine aggregate types and particle gradation, on the main mechanical properties of the material. The material characterization tests included flowability, compression, flexure, and direct tensile tests of the NP-UHPC mixes. The results from these tests are then compared with various proposed equations from the literature to verify their validity for use with the considered NP-UHPC mixes.

Precast concrete deck-to-girder connection using Ultra-High Performance Concrete (UHPC) shear pockets

Precast concrete deck systems have been successfully used in Accelerated Bridge Construction (ABC). In most systems, precast concrete deck-to-girder connections use special shear connectors embedded in the girders and projecting into the deck block-outs (pockets or troughs) that are grouted to achieve composite sections. This requires tight production/erection tolerances that complicate deck and girder fabrication and compromises the economics of the precast concrete deck systems. In this paper, a new deck-to-girder connection is developed using ultra-high performance concrete (UHPC) to relax production/erection tolerances for both precast deck panels and girders. Typical girder shear reinforcement remains unchanged but terminated in the haunch below the soffit of deck panels to eliminate any conflict with the deck shear pockets. Loop bars are installed in the shear pockets that are filled with UHPC to provide required interface shear capacity while relaxing production/erection tolerances. Small scale push-off and double shear tests were conducted to evaluate the interface shear resistance of the connection. Full-scale push-off specimens are fabricated and tested to evaluate the structural performance and constructability of the proposed connection. Test results indicated that interface shear resistance of the connection can be predicted using the AASHTO LRFD shear friction model with different cohesion and friction factors that are dependent on the UHPC compressive strength. Also, UHPC fiber stability has a significant effect on the capacity of the proposed connection. Design example and design aids are presented to demonstrate the design of the new connection in a typical bridge.

Comparative structural behavior of bridge deck panels with polymer concrete and UHPC transverse field joints

Precast bridge deck panels are widely used to accelerate bridge deck erection and provide cost savings, better durability, and solving many constructability challenges. Full-depth deck joints with diamond shear key type and ultra-high performance concrete (UHPC) are the most recent commonly used field joints in bridge decks. UHPC has superior mechanical properties and leads to simplified details and joints. However, UHPC might have some constructability and finishing as well as cost and bidding challenges. Thus, exploring the viability of alternative materials for field joints could be beneficial. Poly Methyl Methacrylate Polymer concrete (PMMA-PC) is another popular construction material with superior mechanical properties that have been used for overlays and can provide a potential alternative to UHPC for deck joints. The objective of this study is to investigate and compare the structural performance of using PMMA-PC and UHPC for full-depth precast deck panel transverse field joints. An experimental program was conducted to test three full-scale specimens under vertical loading at the University of Nevada, Reno. Two specimens were identical except for the material used in the joint, i.e. UHPC versus PMMA-PC, while the third specimen used a new proposed joint detail with PMMA-PC. The structural response was evaluated for connection performance under the AASHTO service and ultimate loads, peak strength, damage progression and mode of failure, and local steel reinforcement strains. The results demonstrated that PMMA-PC, and the proposed joint detail, can be successfully used for bridge deck field joints with comparable performance to UHPC field joints.

Long-term performance of full-depth precast concrete (FDPC) deck panels

Full-depth precast concrete (FDPC) deck panels are becoming more popular recently as they can accelerate construction. However, there are still concerns about durability, proper connections, and long-term performance that have limited their widespread use in the U.S. Most studies on FDPC deck panels have been on their short-term structural performance and joint behavior; there is minimal published work addressing the long-term performance of these structures. A survey was developed and sent out to all state departments of transportation (DOTs) for the work described in this paper. The information gathered from this survey included: a list of bridges using FDPC deck panels (with details about projects), cost, observed performance, experience with panels, and types of joints used. The FDPC Deck Panel Database was developed based on the collected information from this survey and combined with information from the National Bridge Inventory (NBI) database. The performance of bridges in the database was evaluated based on the deck deterioration rate and estimated service life according to simple linear regression and a deep learning models provided by Long-Term Bridge Performance (LTBP) InfoBridge. The result of this effort was identification of the performance of bridges with FDPC deck panels under different conditions. Joint type, traffic impact category (i.e., time construction impacts traffic), climate zone, wearing surface type, and traffic were found to impact the behavior of bridges with FDPC deck panels. Construction type (new construction versus rehabilitation) did not influence the behavior of these bridges.

Structural Behaviors of a Low-Profile Steel Plate–Reinforced UHPC Deck Panel with Longitudinal Ribs

Abstract This paper proposes a lightweight low-profile steel plate-reinforced ultrahigh-performance concrete (UHPC) deck panel with only longitudinal ribs as an alternative to traditional bridge de...