Numerical modelling of lateral stress on integral abutments due to cyclic loading

Abstract

The integral bridge concept eliminates problems associated with expansion joints and bearings used on conventional bridges. However, integral structures are not free from problems, and of particular concern is the magnitude of lateral soil stress which acts on the abutments. The cyclic nature of abutment displacement, caused by thermal loading of the deck, results in increased lateral soil stress from the granular backfill. Previous experiments investigated the fundamental behaviour of a granular soil element under integral bridge loading. No existing constitutive soil model replicated this behaviour, and therefore a soil model has been developed based upon this data. It was designed to account for the changes in secant stiffness and vertical strain due to the density and rolling/sliding behaviour of soil particles at the active state, found to be important in the previous research. The model was implemented into a finite difference method program, and initially validated by modelling the experimental triaxial tests. Subsequent modelling of centrifuge tests of bridge abutments, carried out by independent researchers, allowed the soil model to be validated at system level. After validation and testing, the model was considered suitable for predicting the lateral stress profile acting on integral bridge abutments and used in a parametric study. This highlighted that the value of wall friction coefficient is particularly significant in the system behaviour. The centrifuge test is an idealised system where only rotation/flexure is possible, so a spread base abutment was modelled to investigate the predicted stress profile for an in-service bridge. These were shown to be significantly different to those prescribed by BA42/96, both in shape and magnitude. Additionally, modelling daily cycles results in a different profile to yearly cycles. This research has shown that the soil model developed can provide good estimates of lateral soil stress. This can be used to further investigate soil loads acting on integral bridge abutments with the aim of improving the design of such structures