A design methodology for a low volume road bridge alternative: steel beam precast units

Recent reports have indicated that 23.5 percent of the nation\u27s highway bridges are structurally deficient and 17.7 percent are functionally obsolete. A significant number of these bridges are on the Iowa secondary road system where over 86 percent of the rural bridge management responsibilities are assigned to the counties. Some of the bridges can be strengthened or otherwise rehabilitated, but many more are in need of immediate replacement;In a recent investigation, HR-365 Evaluation of Bridge Replacement Alternatives for the County Bridge System several types of replacement bridges that are currently being used on low volume roads were identified. It was also determined that a large number of counties (69 percent) have the ability and are interested in utilizing their own forces to design and construct short span bridges. In reviewing the results from HR-365, a new bridge replacement concept was developed;This concept involves the fabrication of precast units (two steel beams connected by a concrete slab) by county work forces. Deck thickness is limited so that the units can be fabricated at one site and then transported to the bridge site where they are connected and the remaining portion of the deck placed. Since the bridge is primarily intended for use on low-volume roads, the precast units can be constructed with new or used beams;In the experimental portion of the investigation, there were three types of static load tests: small scale connector tests, handling strength tests, and service and overload tests of a model bridge. Three finite element models for analyzing the bridge in various states of construction were also developed and extrapolated to various bridge configurations;Small scale connector tests were completed to determine the best method of connecting the precast double-T (PCDT) units. Handling strength tests on an individual PCDT unit were performed to determine the strength and behavior of the precast unit in this configuration;The majority of the testing was completed on the model bridge (L = 9,750 mm (32 ft), W = 6,400 mm (21 ft)) which was fabricated using the precast units developed. Some of the variables investigated in the model bridge tests were number of connectors required to connect adjacent precast units, contribution of diaphragms to load distribution, influence of position of diaphragms on bridge strength and load distribution, and effect of cast-in-place portion of deck on load distribution. In addition to the service load tests, the model bridge was also subjected to overload conditions. Using the finite element models developed, one can predict the behavior and strength of bridges similar to the laboratory model as well as design them;Based on the experimental investigation and analytical models that were developed to describe the model bridge behavior, a design methodology for the PCDT bridge has been developed for the bridge superstructure. This design methodology has been programmed in to an easy to use program that allows quick and easy bridge design. A pre-prepared set of plans has also been developed that can be used to construct the PCDT bridge superstructure

Laboratory Investigation of Bridge Strip Seal Joint Termination Details

Bridge expansion joints, if not properly designed, constructed, and maintained, often lead to the deterioration of critical substructure elements. Strip seal expansion joints consisting of a steel extrusion and neoprene gland are one type of expansion joint and are commonly used by the Iowa Department of Transportation (DOT). Strip seal expansion joints are susceptible to tears and pull outs that allow water, chlorides, and debris to infiltrate the joint, and subsequently the bearings below. One area of the strip seal that is particularly problematic is where it terminates at the interface between the deck and the barrier rail. The Iowa DOT has noted that the initial construction quality of the current strip seal termination detail is not satisfactory, nor ideal, and a need exists for re-evaluation and possibly re-design of this detail. Desirable qualities of a strip seal termination detail provide a seal that is simple and fast to construct, facilitate quick gland removal and installation, and provide a reliable, durable barrier to prevent chloride-contaminated water from reaching the substructure. To meet the objectives of this research project, several strip seal termination details were evaluated in the laboratory. Alternate termination details may not only function better than the current Iowa DOT standard, but are also less complicated to construct, facilitating better quality control. However, uncertainties still exist regarding the long-term effects of using straight-through details, with or without the dogleg, that could not be answered in the laboratory in the short time frame of the research project

Laboratory Investigation of Bridge Strip Seal Joint Termination Details tech transfer summary

Engineers with the Iowa Department of Transportation (DOT) Office of Bridges and Structures noticed that the construction quality of the strip seal termination detail on many of their bridges, and particularly on skewed bridges, is not satisfactory, nor ideal, and that a need exists for re-evaluation and possibly redesign of this detail

Polymer Concrete Overlay Evaluation

The objectives of this work were to document the state-of-the-practice with respect to polymer concrete overlays, document the placement of two overlays in Iowa, monitor the field performance of the overlays over a two-year period, and relate their performance to material usage and/or workmanship. The two bridges - a Johnson County, Iowa bridge over I-80 on 12th Avenue in Coralville, and the Keg Creek Bridge on Hwy 6 in western Iowa, 10 miles east of Council Bluffs - were overlaid during the summer/fall of 2013. The process by which each bridge was overlaid was similar in many ways, although a few slight differences existed. Over time, each overlay has generally performed quite well with only a few areas of exception. It is believed that these localized areas likely underperformed due to poor deck preparation, improper polymer mixing, snowplow impact, or a combination thereof

Iowa ABC Connections

For several years the Iowa Department of Transportation (DOT), Iowa State University, the Federal Highway Administration, and several Iowa counties have been working to develop accelerated bridge construction (ABC) concepts, details, and processes. Throughout this development, much has been learned and has resulted in Iowa being viewed as a national leader in the area of ABC. However, at this time, the Office of Bridges and Structures does not have a complete set of working standards nor design examples to accompany ABC portions of the bridge design manual (now called the Load and Resistance Factor Design/LRFD Bridge Design Manual). During the fall of 2013, the Iowa DOT constructed a bridge on IA 92 in Cass County using an ABC technique known as slide-in bridge construction. During the design of the Cass County Bridge, several questions were raised about the performance of critical design and construction details: the pile-to-pile cap connection and the polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) coated bearing pads on which the bridge would slide. The timing of this specific need and the initiation of this project offered a unique opportunity to provide significant short- and long-term value to the Office of Bridges and Structures. Several full-scale laboratory tests, which included several variations of the pile-to-pile cap connection and bearing pad slides, were completed. These tests proved that the connection was capable of achieving the desired capacity and that the expected coefficient of friction of the bearing pads was reasonably low. Finally, a design tool was developed for the Office of Bridges and Structures to be used on future projects that might benefit from a precast pile cap

Investigation of the Impact of Dual-Lane Axle Spacing on Lateral Load Distribution

The spacing of adjacent wheel lines of dual-lane loads induces different lateral live load distributions on bridges, which cannot be determined using the current American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) Load and Resistance Factor Design (LRFD) or Load Factor Design (LFD) equations for vehicles with standard axle configurations. Current Iowa law requires dual-lane loads to meet a five-foot requirement, the adequacy of which needs to be verified. To improve the state policy and AASHTO code specifications, it is necessary to understand the actual effects of wheel-line spacing on lateral load distribution. The main objective of this research was to investigate the impact of the wheel-line spacing of dual-lane loads on the lateral load distribution on bridges. To achieve this objective, a numerical evaluation using two-dimensional linear elastic finite element (FE) models was performed. For simulation purposes, 20 prestressed-concrete bridges, 20 steel bridges, and 20 slab bridges were randomly sampled from the Iowa bridge database. Based on the FE results, the load distribution factors (LDFs) of the concrete and steel bridges and the equivalent lengths of the slab bridges were derived. To investigate the variations of LDFs, a total of 22 types of single-axle four-wheel-line dual-lane loads were taken into account with configurations consisting of combinations of various interior and exterior wheel-line spacing. The corresponding moment and shear LDFs and equivalent widths were also derived using the AASHTO equations and the adequacy of the Iowa DOT five-foot requirement was evaluated. Finally, the axle weight limits per lane for different dual-lane load types were further calculated and recommended to complement the current Iowa Department of Transportation (DOT) policy and AASHTO code specifications