Browsing by Subject "Load rating"

Now showing 1 - 2 of 2
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    Discrepancies in Shear Strength of Prestressed Beams with Different Specifications
    (Minnesota Department of Transportation Research Services Section, 2010-01) Dereli, Ozer; Shield, Carol; French, Catherine
    Although Mn/DOT inspection reports indicate that prestressed concrete bridge girders in service do not show signs of shear distress, girders rated with the Virtis-BRASS rating tool and Load Factor Rating (LFR) have indicated that a number of the girders have capacities lower than design level capacities. One of the reasons for the discrepancy was suspected to be conservatism of the rating methods (i.e., LFR). Other suspected reasons included potential flaws in the rating tools used by Mn/DOT (i.e., Virtis-BRASS software) including neglecting possible additional shear capacity parameters (e.g., end blocks). As a consequence, the rating methods have made it difficult to discern the cases for which shear capacity may be a real concern. In order to identify the reasons for the discrepancies and inconsistency in rating results relative to observed performance of the prestressed bridge girders, an analytical research program was conducted. The report provides a brief description of the models that provide the basis for the AASHTO shear design provisions and descriptions of the provisions through the 2002 AASHTO Standard specifications. This is followed by a description of the Virtis-BRASS rating tool, which was verified with example bridges provided by Mn/DOT. To investigate prestressed bridge girders within the inventory that might be most at risk for being undercapacity for shear, 54 girders were selected from the inventory for further evaluation. Some of the 54 girders were found to have larger stirrup spacings than required at the time of design. These girders were subsequently rated and evaluated per the 2002 AASHTO Standard Specifications to determine the adequacy of the designs based on the LFR inventory and operating rating methods. Potential sources for increased shear capacity were identified and reviewed.
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    Load Rating of Composite Steel Curved I-Girder Bridges through Load Testing with Heavy Trucks
    (Minnesota Department of Transportation, 2006-10) Krzmarzick, Dan P.; Hajjar, Jerome F.
    Current techniques for rating of horizontally curved composite steel I-girder bridges often use approximate methods of analysis based on assessment of individual straight girders with altered properties to account for member curvature. This project investigates the behavior and rating of these bridges through load testing with heavy trucks. A five-span continuous two-girder horizontally curved steel I-girder bridge was load tested. Strain and displacement measurements were obtained for the main girders, diaphragms, lateral wind bracing, bearings, composite interaction, and areas of high strain concentrations near stiffener details. Forty-three static tests with different truck load patterns were conducted along with thirteen dynamic tests to assess the bridge response. A linear elastic grillage-based model of the bridge was used to simulate the load patterns. A sensitivity study was carried out based on the tested bridge along with simulations of two other bridges previously tested elsewhere so as to assess the robustness of grillage analysis for use in load rating of horizontally curved steel I-girder bridges. Recommendations are made outlining rating of horizontally curved composite steel I-girder bridges through the use of grillage-based analysis, with and without the use of load testing, and within the context of the AASHTO Load and Resistance Factor Rating (LRFR) and Load Factor Rating (LFR) procedures.