Development of truck weight limits for concrete bridges using reliability theory Desenvolvimento de equações para a limitação do peso de veículos de carga em pontes de concreto através da teoria de confiabilidade

The increase in gross weight limits allowed by Brazilian legislation and the soaring number of new truck configurations on national highways has called for greater attention regarding the structural safety of bridges when submitted to real traffic. This paper verifies the performance of bridges under Sao Paulo Department of Transportation jurisdiction using the reliability index β and obtains truck weight limits in order to guarantee structural integrity. The superstructures of reinforced and prestressed concrete bridges, classes 36 and 45, are considered. The ultimate limit state is verified in cross sections subjected to positive and negative critical bending moments. In case of prestressed bridges, the cracking limit state in concrete is added. The real traffic is represented by a live load model based on weighting data collected from stations located on highways of the state of Sao Paulo and the statistical resistance parameters are determined using the Monte Carlo technique. The gross weight limits are presented in the form of equations known as bridge formulas which are applicable to any group of two or more consecutive axles. The observed results indicate restrictions to the traffic of some vehicles, especially the 740 kN and 19.80 meters length truck. Considering only the serviceability limit state, class 45 bridges are found to exhibit lower weight limits due to the load factors recommended by the code during design. O aumento nos limites de peso estabelecidos pela legislação brasileira e a proliferação das Combinações de Veículos de Carga nas rodovias nacionais motivam uma preocupação no que se refere à segurança estrutural das pontes quando submetidas ao tráfego real. Este trabalho verifica o desempenho das obras-de-arte especiais sob jurisdição do DER-SP através do índice de confiabilidade β e obtém equações para a limitação do peso de caminhões de modo a não comprometer sua integridade estrutural. São consideradas as superestruturas das pontes em concreto armado ou protendido, classes 36 e 45. Verifica-se o estado limite último nas seções transversais mais solicitadas por momento fletor positivo e negativo. No caso de pontes em concreto protendido, acrescenta-se a verificação do estado limite de formação de fissuras. O tráfego real é representado por um modelo de carregamento móvel baseado em pesagens de caminhões efetuadas em rodovias do estado de São Paulo e os parâmetros da resistência são determinados através da técnica de Monte Carlo. Apresenta-se os limites de peso em forma de equações, denominadas ECPLs (Equações Comprimento-Peso Limite), aplicáveis a quaisquer grupo de eixos consecutivos dos veículos. Os resultados indicam restrições à circulação de algumas composições, especialmente ao rodotrem de 740 kN e 19,8 metros de comprimento. Considerando-se apenas o estado limite de serviço, as pontes classe 45 apresentam menores limites de peso devido à ponderação de ações durante o projeto

Microfluidics: reframing biological enquiry

The underlying physical properties of microfluidic tools have led to new biological insights through the development of microsystems that can manipulate, mimic and measure biology at a resolution that has not been possible with macroscale tools. Microsystems readily handle sub-microlitre volumes, precisely route predictable laminar fluid flows and match both perturbations and measurements to the length scales and timescales of biological systems. The advent of fabrication techniques that do not require highly specialized engineering facilities is fuelling the broad dissemination of microfluidic systems and their adaptation to specific biological questions. We describe how our understanding of molecular and cell biology is being and will continue to be advanced by precision microfluidic approaches and posit that microfluidic tools - in conjunction with advanced imaging, bioinformatics and molecular biology approaches - will transform biology into a precision science

Analysis of a semi-rigid connection for precast concrete

This paper presents a study of a specific type of beam-to-column connection for precast concrete structures. Furthermore, an analytical model to determine the strength and the stiffness of the connection, based on test results of two prototypes, is proposed. To evaluate the influence of the strength and stiffness of the connection on the behaviour of the structure, the results of numerical simulations of a typical multi-storey building with semi-rigid connections are also presented and compared with the results using pinned and rigid connections. The main conclusions are: (a) the proposed design model can reasonably evaluate the studied connection strength; (b) the evaluation of strength is more accurate than that of stiffness; (c) for a typical structure, it is possible to increase the number of storeys of the structure from two to four with lower horizontal displacement at the top, and only a small increase of the column base bending moment by replacing the pinned connections with semi-rigid ones; and (d) although there is significant uncertainty in the connection stiffness, the results show that the displacements at the top of the structure, and the column base moments present low susceptibility deviations to this parameter.FAPESPCNP

Development of truck weight limits for concrete bridges using reliability theory Desenvolvimento de equações para a limitação do peso de veículos de carga em pontes de concreto através da teoria de confiabilidade

The increase in gross weight limits allowed by Brazilian legislation and the soaring number of new truck configurations on national highways has called for greater attention regarding the structural safety of bridges when submitted to real traffic. This paper verifies the performance of bridges under Sao Paulo Department of Transportation jurisdiction using the reliability index β and obtains truck weight limits in order to guarantee structural integrity. The superstructures of reinforced and prestressed concrete bridges, classes 36 and 45, are considered. The ultimate limit state is verified in cross sections subjected to positive and negative critical bending moments. In case of prestressed bridges, the cracking limit state in concrete is added. The real traffic is represented by a live load model based on weighting data collected from stations located on highways of the state of Sao Paulo and the statistical resistance parameters are determined using the Monte Carlo technique. The gross weight limits are presented in the form of equations known as bridge formulas which are applicable to any group of two or more consecutive axles. The observed results indicate restrictions to the traffic of some vehicles, especially the 740 kN and 19.80 meters length truck. Considering only the serviceability limit state, class 45 bridges are found to exhibit lower weight limits due to the load factors recommended by the code during design. O aumento nos limites de peso estabelecidos pela legislação brasileira e a proliferação das Combinações de Veículos de Carga nas rodovias nacionais motivam uma preocupação no que se refere à segurança estrutural das pontes quando submetidas ao tráfego real. Este trabalho verifica o desempenho das obras-de-arte especiais sob jurisdição do DER-SP através do índice de confiabilidade β e obtém equações para a limitação do peso de caminhões de modo a não comprometer sua integridade estrutural. São consideradas as superestruturas das pontes em concreto armado ou protendido, classes 36 e 45. Verifica-se o estado limite último nas seções transversais mais solicitadas por momento fletor positivo e negativo. No caso de pontes em concreto protendido, acrescenta-se a verificação do estado limite de formação de fissuras. O tráfego real é representado por um modelo de carregamento móvel baseado em pesagens de caminhões efetuadas em rodovias do estado de São Paulo e os parâmetros da resistência são determinados através da técnica de Monte Carlo. Apresenta-se os limites de peso em forma de equações, denominadas ECPLs (Equações Comprimento-Peso Limite), aplicáveis a quaisquer grupo de eixos consecutivos dos veículos. Os resultados indicam restrições à circulação de algumas composições, especialmente ao rodotrem de 740 kN e 19,8 metros de comprimento. Considerando-se apenas o estado limite de serviço, as pontes classe 45 apresentam menores limites de peso devido à ponderação de ações durante o projeto

Numerical approach of the bond stress behavior of steel bars embedded in self-compacting concrete and in ordinary concrete using beam models

The present study evaluates the bond behavior between steel bars and concrete by means of a numerical analysis based on Finite Element Method. Results of a previously conducted experimental program on reinforced concrete beams subjected to monotonic loading are also presented. Two concrete types, self-compacting concrete and ordinary concrete, were considered in the study. Non-linear constitutive relations were used to represent concrete and steel in the proposed numerical model, aiming to reproduce the bond behavior observed in the tests. Experimental analysis showed similar results for the bond resistances of self-compacting and ordinary concrete, with self-compacting concrete presenting a better performance in some cases. The results given by the numerical modeling showed a good agreement with the tests for both types of concrete, especially in the pre-peak branch of the load vs. slip and load vs. displacement curves. As a consequence, the proposed numerical model could be used to estimate a reliable development length, allowing a possible reduction of the structure costs

Contribution to assessing the stiffness reduction of structural elements in the global stability analysis of precast concrete multi-storey buildings

This study deals with the reduction of the stiffness in precast concrete structural elements of multi-storey buildings to analyze global stability. Having reviewed the technical literature, this paper present indications of stiffness reduction in different codes, standards, and recommendations and compare these to the values found in the present study. The structural model analyzed in this study was constructed with finite elements using ANSYS® software. Physical Non-Linearity (PNL) was considered in relation to the diagrams M x N x 1/r, and Geometric Non-Linearity (GNL) was calculated following the Newton-Raphson method. Using a typical precast concrete structure with multiple floors and a semi-rigid beam-to-column connection, expressions for a stiffness reduction coefficient are presented. The main conclusions of the study are as follows: the reduction coefficients obtained from the diagram M x N x 1/r differ from standards that use a simplified consideration of PNL; the stiffness reduction coefficient for columns in the arrangements analyzed were approximately 0.5 to 0.6; and the variation of values found for stiffness reduction coefficient in concrete beams, which were subjected to the effects of creep with linear coefficients from 0 to 3, ranged from 0.45 to 0.2 for positive bending moments and 0.3 to 0.2 for negative bending moments