Nonlinear design and monitoring aspects of jointless structures

Abstract

Jointless bridges are characterized by integral abutments and their lack of bearings and expansion joints. Recently this construction type has gained much popularity among bridge owners, since reduced costs in maintenance and rehabilitation are to be expected caused by the lack of significantly endangered details like joints and bearings. However, due to uncertainties regarding numerical modeling, material strength development and interaction with the soil the acceptance by designers is not that high. Currently those topics are being addressed by a number of research projects aiming at (a) the verification of current design criteria for jointless bridges, (b) the improvement of those, and (c) the derivation of an Austrian guideline regarding the design of this construction type. By monitoring the real structural response using suitable sensor-systems and performing advanced finite-element calculations to study the influence of creep, shrinkage and loading, current design concepts are being evaluated. Finally based on those models the most relevant design criteria can be optimized even taking into account the non-linearities in material laws and geometrical properties. This paper presents a suitable concept for non-linear design which allows for the activation of reserves in bearing capacity and thus more efficient design. Modeling uncertainties as well as sensitivities between material properties, loading and design parameters are covered by the second paper “Probabilistic Design Aspects of Jointless Structures associated with Monitoring Information”