Steel bridges are particularly sensible to corrosion, which can put at risk the structural safety by affecting the joint elements. Having this in mind, the objective of this work was to evaluate the influence of the joint's stiffness in the structural response of the S. João de Loure steel bridge. An improved model was developed for the bridge on the structural analysis software SAP2000. Maximum deflection, axial forces and corresponding stresses, and natural frequencies, were analyzed. Numerical results allow concluding about the influence of the joint's stiffness in the structural response of the bridge

Fernandes, C.

Varum, H.

English

Repositório Institucional da Universidade de Aveiro

      VULNERABILITY ASSESSMENT OF THE S. JOÃO DE LOURE BRIDGE – VOUGA'S RIVER  Catarina A. L. Fernandes1; Humberto Varum2 Civil Engineering Department, University of Aveiro, 3810-193 Aveiro - Portugal 1 cfernandes@civil.ua.pt    2 hvarum@civil.ua.pt  ABSTRACT  Steel bridges are particularly sensible to corrosion, which can put at risk the structural safety by affecting the joint elements. Having this in mind, the objective of this work was to evaluate the influence of the joint's stiffness in the structural response of the S. João de Loure steel bridge. An improved model was developed for the bridge on the structural analysis software SAP2000. Maximum deflection, axial forces and corresponding stresses, and natural frequencies, were analyzed. Numerical results allow concluding about the influence of the joint's stiffness in the structural response of the bridge.   1. GENERAL DESCRIPTION  The S. João de Loure bridge (Fig.1) is located in EN 230-2, km 0.601, S. João de Loure, Albergaria-a-Velha, district of Aveiro. It is a single span steel bridge and its main girders have 6 m spacing, are 4.35 m high and divided in eleven panels with 3.54 m length (Freire, Martins and Torres 1998). The main structure is supported by the masonry abutments: fixed supports in the north abutment and roller bearings in the south one. Examples of the joint elements are shown in Fig. 2. Table 1 summarizes the main geometrical characteristics of the bridge and the steel properties adopted in the numerical analysis.           Fig. 1. General views of the S. João de Loure bridge (Fernandes and Silva 2004).                                        (a)                                              (b)                                             (c)  Fig. 2. Joint elements: (a) Stringer / cross-girder; (b) Stringer / main girder; (c) Posts (Fernandes and Silva 2004).   Table 1 – Geometrical characteristics of the structure and steel properties Main geometrical characteristics  Steel properties Number of spans 1  Span length 43.36 m  Characteristic yielding stress  fyk 225 MPa  Steel deck length 44.00 m  Road width 4.40 m  Characteristic ultimate stress  fuk 245 MPa Footways width 2 0.80× m  Bridge girders spacing 6.00 m  Young's modulus E 200 GPa   2. INFLUENCE OF THE JOINT'S STIFFNESS IN THE STRUCTURAL RESPONSE  2.1 Structural model, loads and combinations  The structural model introduced in this paper is an improvement of a model developed previously by Furtado and Marques (2003). In the original model, almost all nodes were considered hinged. In the improved model, the flanges were considered continuous elements. Furthermore, the diagonals and posts were divided in 3 sub-elements (Varum 2003; Fernandes and Silva 2004). Each bar element of length L was divided in a central element with length L' and lateral elements (length Ll), as represented in Fig. 3. The length of the lateral sub-elements, Ll, represents the joint's length in the corresponding elements and its value was established from the available drawings (S. João de Loure bridge – Drawings 2001).The posts were divided in 4 sub-elements. An additional node in the central sub-element was necessary to apply the loads from the cross-girder.                           XY Z               Z Ll L’ Ll   Y   X L = L’+ 2Ll (a)                                                    (b)  Fig. 3. Structural model: (a) FE Mesh; (b) Improved model: consideration of 3 sub-elements.  The geometrical characteristics of the element's cross-section were calculated from the AutoCAD drawings (S. João de Loure bridge – Drawings 2001) and was made automatically with the numerical tools available (Table 2). The coordinate axes used for each cross-section were considered in the left inferior point. All bars have a uniform cross-section along its length.  The nomenclature adopted for the flanges, diagonals and posts in the structural analysis software (SAP2000 2003) is summarized in Fig. 4.  Table 2 – Geometrical characteristics of the element's cross-sections   Área Center of Gravity Moment of Inertia  Label A  (m2) zG (m) yG          (m) IzG          (cm4) IyG         (cm4) FL 1 0.015870 0.1183 0.2250 9489 36987 FL  2 0.020820 0.0999 0.2250 17842 42779 FL  3 0.025770 0.0907 0.2250 26196 47228 Flanges FL  4 0.025770 0.0862 0.2250 34549 51072 DIAG 1 0.009823 0.0259 0.1775 16636 811 DIAG 2 0.006510 0.0265 0.1500 8230 561 DIAG 3 0.004680 0.0210 0.1300 4196 293 Diagonals DIAG 4 0.004076 0.0218 0.1100 2769 225 POST 1 0.029408 0.2564 0.2243 84353 37808 POST 2 0.027096 0.2297 0.2145 80994 11608 POST 3 0.005848 0.1542 0.0750 234 12753 Posts POST 4 0.003600 0.0491 0.0750 233 932 Cross-girders CGIRD 0.023284 0.3950 0.0985 1497 173655 Stringers STRIN 0.009600 0.2000 0.0890 968 24316 BRAC 1 0.002122 0.0205 0.0710 188 98 Bracing elements BRAC 2 0.001061 0.0205 0.0205 49 49    Sub-element  Central sub-element Lateral sub-element Element Pa Pb Pc Pd  POST 1 P 2 PST 2 PST 1 P 1   Posts  POST 2 POST 3 POST 4 POST 5 POST 6 P 4 PST 4 PST 3 P 3  Diagonals DIAG 1  DIAG 2  DIAG 3  DIAG 4 D1  D2  D3  D4   FL 1 FL 2 FL 3 FL 3 FL 4    FL 4 FL 1 FL 2 FL 3 FL 3    FL 4 FL 4 DIAG 1    DIAG 1 DIAG 2       DIAG 3 DIAG 4 DIAG 4  POST 1   POST 2 POST  3    P a  P b P c  P d POST  6 POST  5 POST  4 Fig. 4. Elements nomenclature: flanges, diagonals and posts.  For the dead loads, the weight of the steel, the weight of the reinforced concrete slab deck, footways and bridge rails were considered. The structure's weight was modeled automatically by the structural analysis software (SAP2000 2003) and was multiplied by 1.1, in order to account for the fastening's weight (gusset's plates, weldings and rivets). The following values were adopted for the material's density: 77 kN/m3 (steel) and 25 kN/m3 (reinforced concrete).  In this preliminary analysis, the actions corresponding to the wind and earthquake were not considered. The structure was only submitted to the live loads mentioned in the Portuguese National Standard (RSA 1983) for class I highway bridges:  • Live load of 4 kN/m2 (Qdistr) uniformly distributed over the deck, plus a transversal load of 50 kN/m acting on every possible position of the deck; • Or, vehicle-type, acting on every possible position of the deck (Qvehicle); • Live load of 3 kN/m2 uniformly distributed on the footways or concentrated load of 20 kN (Qfootway) acting on the bridge rails.  In this analysis were considered the following load combinations:  ULTIMATE LIMIT STATES:  1.35 1.5 ( )vehicle footwayULT 1:  G Q Q⋅ + ⋅ +                (1) 1.35 1.5 ( )distr footwayULT 2:  G Q Q⋅ + ⋅ +                                                                      (2)  SERVICEABILITY LIMIT STATES:  1 ( )vehicle footwaySERV 1:  G Q Q+ Ψ ⋅ +                 (3) 1 ( )distr footwaySERV 2:  G Q Q+ Ψ ⋅ + 1 0.4, = (according to RSA 1983)                        (4) Ψ For each ultimate limit state combination, were considered different positions for the loads applied, namely:   • For ULT 1 were considered four different positions for the normalized vehicle-type; • For ULT 2 were considered two positions for the transversal load (Qdistr = 50 kN/m).  For the serviceability limit state combinations, SERV 1 and SERV 2, the vehicle-type and transversal load were located in the mid-span, which corresponds to the maximum deflection. For the vehicle-type combination (SERV 1), two different loading cases were considered:   • Vehicle-type centered in the bridge’s cross-section (SERV 1-A);  • Vehicle-type with maximum eccentricity in the bridge’s cross-section (SERV 1-B).  2.2 Analysis methodology  As stated in section 2.1, each diagonal and post were divided into three sub-elements, where the lateral sub-elements represent the joint's length. The objective of this study was to evaluate the  influence of the joint's stiffness in the structural response. Thus, in this analysis, the axial stiffness of those sub-elements, EANL, was varied in the range [0.5EA; 1.5EA] and for the central sub-element it was used the nominal axial stiffness, EA. The structural response was evaluated for the following values: 0.5EA, 0.6EA, 0.7EA, 0.8EA, 0.9EA, 1.0EA, 1.1EA, 1.2EA, 1.3EA, 1.4EA e 1.5EA. For each case, the maximum mid-span deflection, the maximum axial forces and corresponding maximum stress in the bars (diagonals, posts, upper and bottom flanges) and the structural natural frequencies, were analyzed.  2.3 Numerical results  The maximum axial forces and corresponding maximum stresses analysis was made for the ultimate limit state combinations. In Table 3 are presented the maximum axial forces, Nmax, and corresponding maximum stresses, σmax, calculated for each axial stiffness value, EANL.  Table 3 – Maximum axial force and stress: diagonals, posts and flanges  Diagonal Post Upper flange Bottom flange EANL/EA Nmax (kN) σmax (MPa) Nmax (kN) σmax (MPa) Nmax (kN) σmax (MPa) Nmax (kN) σmax (MPa) 0.5 -855.44 -174.17 -690.13 -46.93 -3401.44 -131.99 3300.13 128.06 0.6 -854.95 -145.06 -690.79 -39.15 -3406.27 -132.18 3302.16 128.14 0.7 -854.52 -124.27 -691.32 -33.58 -3409.84 -132.32 3303.80 128.20 0.8 -854.15 -108.69 -691.75 -29.40 -3412.59 -132.42 3305.00 128.25 0.9 -853.83 -96.58 -692.11 -26.15 -3414.77 -132.51 3305.90 128.28 1 -853.56 -86.89 -692.42 -23.55 -3416.55 -132.58 3306.61 128.31 1.1 -853.31 -78.97 -692.68 -21.41 -3418.02 -132.64 3307.17 128.33 1.2 -853.10 -72.37 -692.90 -19.63 -3419.27 -132.68 3307.63 128.35 1.3 -852.92 -66.79 -693.10 -18.13 -3420.33 -132.73 3308.01 128.37 1.4 -852.75 -62.01 -693.27 -16.84 -3421.26 -132.76 3308.33 128.38 1.5 -852.60 -57.86 -693.42 -15.72 -3422.06 -132.79 3308.60 128.39   Fig. 5 illustrates the location of the elements with maximum stress.      Post           Diagonal  FlangesFig. 5. Elements with maximum stress.   The maximum stress surges at the diagonal for EANL/EA = 0.5, and corresponds to 174.17 MPa. Consequently, for the analysis performed in this study and not considering the instability at the local or global level, the structural safety (REAE 1986) was verified.  225174.17 MPa < 204.55 MPa1.1 1.1ykmáx ydffσ = = = =                                                         (5)   Fig. 6 represents the evolution of the maximum axial force at the diagonals, posts, upper and bottom flanges, in function of the EANL value.   -856-855-854-853-852-8510.5 0.6 0.7 0.8 0.9 1 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5     -694-693-692-691-690-689-6880.5 0.6 0.7 0.8 0.9 1 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5                   Nmax (kN) Nmax (kN) EANL/EA EANL/EA                              (a) Diagonal                                                               (b) Post -3430-3420-3410-3400-33900.5 0.6 0.7 0.8 0.9 1 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5  32953300330533100.5 0.6 0.7 0.8 0.9 1 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5  Nmax (kN) Nmax (kN) EANL/EA EANL/EA                           (c) Upper flange                                                      (d) Bottom flange  Fig. 6. Maximum axial forces, function of the axial stiffness.   The maximum deflection was analyzed for the serviceability limit state combinations, SERV 1-A, SERV 1-B e SERV 2. The combination SERV 2 gives the maximum values. Table 4 and Fig. 7 give the result of the analysis in tend of maximum mid-span deflection.  Table 4 – Maximum mid-span deflection δ1/2span (cm) EANL/EA SERV 1-A SERV 1-B SERV 2 0.5 4.38 4.26 4.42 0.6 4.32 4.20 4.35 0.7 4.28 4.16 4.31 0.8 4.25 4.12 4.28 0.9 4.22 4.10 4.25 1 4.20 4.08 4.23 1.1 4.18 4.06 4.21 1.2 4.17 4.05 4.20 1.3 4.16 4.04 4.19 1.4 4.15 4.02 4.18 1.5 4.14 4.02 4.17   4.004.104.204.304.404.500.5 0.6 0.7 0.8 0.9 1 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5SERV 1-ASERV 1-BSERV 2 Deflection (cm) EANL/EA  Fig. 7. Mid-span deflection, function of the axial stiffness.   In Table 5 are presented the first 16 vibration modes and natural frequencies of the structure, calculated by the structural analysis software (SAP2000 2003).  Table 5 – Natural frequencies and vibration modes Frequencies Vibration modes f (Hz) 1 Transversal bending of the overall structure  2.12 2  XYZXOY Transversal bending of the main girders 2.97 3 a 13  XYZXOY Local bending of the bracing elements 3.03 14  XYZ3D Transversal bending of the overall structure 3.90 15  Transversal bending of the overall structure 5.03 16  In-plane bending of the overall structure 5.18   3. CONCLUSIONS  The maximum deflection was increased 4% for EANL/EA = 0.5. For this stiffness reduction factor, the axial forces and corresponding stress in the structural elements have the following variations:  • Diagonals: the maximum axial force increased by 0.2% and the corresponding stress increased by 50%. • Posts: the maximum axial force reduced by 0.3% and the corresponding stress increased by 50%. • Upper flanges: the maximum axial force and corresponding stress reduced by 0.4%. • Bottom flanges: the maximum axial force and corresponding stress reduced by 0.2%.  The reasons for these small variations, in terms of axial forces and mid-span deflection, can be pointed out. First, the structure’s behavior is essentially isostatic. In spite the presence of two X Z XYZXOY YXZXOY XOZ  diagonals at each panel, its stiffness is significantly inferior than the flange's stiffness. Consequently, the loads distribution within the structure practically does not depend of the elements stiffness. Secondly, only diagonals and posts were divided in 3 sub-elements and the length of the lateral sub-element represents a small percentage of the total element's length (26% for the diagonals and 20% for the posts).  The first two vibration modes corresponding to global bending of the overall structure have the natural frequencies of 2.12 Hz and 2.97 Hz. From the third to the thirteen vibration modes, the natural frequency is 3.03 Hz and the vibration modes correspond to local bending of the bracing elements.  The joint's stiffness of the bridge S. João de Loure has a significant influence in its structural response, mainly in terms of stress. The axial forces don't vary in a significant way with the joint's stiffness variation. But, as expected, when the cross-section's area of the elements is reduced in 50%, the corresponding stress is increased by the same proportion. However, as verified by the present analysis, the safety coefficient used in the bridge's design is probably sufficient to cover the variations in the axial stiffness caused by deterioration due to, e.g. corrosion (Brinckerhoff 1993). In this way, the axial stiffness variation induced by a non exaggerated cross-section's area variation won't put at risk the bridge structural safety.   REFERENCES  Brinckerhoff, P., “Bridge Inspection and Rehabilitation”, Ed. Louis G. Silano, P.E. ISBN 0-471-53262-2, 1993. Fernandes, C. and Silva, H., “Bridge's evaluation, maintenance and strengthening”, Civil Engineering Department, University of Aveiro, Aveiro, Portugal, 2004 (in portuguese). Freire, P. C. M.; Martins, M. R. F. and Torres, M. T. P.,“Steel highway bridges”, Junta Autónoma de Estradas, 1998 (in portuguese). Furtado, A. C. and Marques, A., “Maintenance and rehabilitation assessment of the S. João de Loure bridge –Vouga's river”, Civil Engineering Department, University of Aveiro, Aveiro, Portugal, 2003 (in portuguese). RSA – Regulamento de Segurança e Acções para Estruturas de Edifícios e Pontes, Decreto de Lei nº 235/83, 31 May, 1983 (in portuguese). REAE – Regulamento de Estruturas de Aço para Edifícios, Decreto de Lei nº 211/86, 31 July, 1986 (in portuguese). S. João de Loure bridge – Drawings (AutoCAD format), 2001. SAP2000 Nonlinear 8.15, Computer and Structures, Inc., 2003. Varum, H., “Seismic assessment, strengthening and repair of existing buildings”; PhD Thesis - University of Aveiro, Aveiro, Portugal, 2003.  

Bridge's evaluation, maintenance and strengthening”,

Maintenance and rehabilitation assessment of the S. João de Loure bridge –Vouga's river”,

P.,“Steel highway bridges”, Junta Autónoma de Estradas,

Regulamento de Estruturas de Aço para Edifícios, Decreto de Lei nº 211/86,

Seismic assessment, strengthening and repair of existing buildings”;

Vulnerability assessment of the S. João de Loure Bridge: Vouga’s river

Vulnerability assessment of the S. João de Loure Bridge: Vouga’s river

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