Thermal stresses in steel girder bridges with integral abutments

Article type: Research Article

Authors: William, G.W. | Shoukry, S.N.^; | Riad, M.Y.

Affiliations: Department of Civil & Environmental Engineering, West Virginia University, PO Box 6103, Morgantown, WV 26506, USA | Department of Mechanical & Aerospace Engineering, West Virginia University, PO Box 6106, Morgantown, WV 26506, USA

Note: [] Corresponding author. [email protected]

Abstract: This paper demonstrates the use of field measurements to evaluate the performance of integral abutment bridges and to check the validity of the design assumptions. A newly constructed integral abutment bridge was heavily instrumented to monitor its long-term performance under the effects of environmental conditions and traffic loading. The collected data indicate that integral abutments resist the expansion of the bridge superstructure during summer time, leading to excessive axial compressive forces in the steel girders. Under such a condition, the 2002 AASHTO criteria for stability and yield of steel girders are barely satisfied under the effect of dead loads and temperature variations and are not satisfied when considering the effect of HS20-44 live load.

DOI: 10.1080/15732480500125593

Journal: Bridge Structures, vol. 1, no. 2, pp. 103-119, 2005