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An Equivalent Plate Model With Orthotropic Material Properties For Adjacent Box-Beam Bridge Superstructure, Timothy Alexander Schnell

Masters Theses

Reflective cracking over the longitudinal joints of adjacent box-beam bridges is a welldocumented and recurrent problem; it is a concern because it leads to poor durability performance. These cracks develop during early stages of bridge construction and have not been eliminate by the design revisions implemented so far.

This study is aimed at developing a rational load demand analysis model for calculating the moment acting at the longitudinal joints in order to determine the impact of post-tensioning on mitigating reflective cracking.

The scope of the study includes calculating moment demand at the shear keys using a rational analysis model based …

Performance Of Circular Reinforced Concrete Bridge Piers Subjected To Vehicular Collisions, Nevin L. Gomez

Masters Theses

Vehicle collisions with bridge piers can result in significant damage to the support pier and potentially lead to catastrophic failure of the whole structure. The Nation’s aging infrastructure suggests that many structures no longer meet current design standards, placing many bridge susceptible to failure if subjected to an extreme loading event. This research aims to study the structural response of reinforced concrete bridge piers subjected to vehicle collisions. A sensitivity analysis is conducted to observe the causes of shear and bending failures of bridge piers subjected to vehicle collision. Parameters, such as pier diameter, transverse reinforcement spacing, vehicle impact velocity, …

Statistical And Numerical Integrated Approach For Detecting Onset Of Prefabricated Bridge Component Connection Deterioration, Cem Mansiz

Masters Theses

Bridges are the substantial part of the transportation infrastructure. Most recent report shows that of the 605,086 bridges in the United States, 67,526 (11%) are deemed structurally deficient, and 76,363 (13%) are declared functionally obsolete (FHWA, 2011). Deck is the shelter of a bridge that is subjected to severe loads due to exposure and traffic. Importance of detecting deck deterioration is further highlighted with the introduction of accelerated bridge construction (ABC) where prefabricated components are brought to the site, assembled, and connected using field cast joints. However, durability performance of field cast connections is not encouraging. Hence, continuous monitoring of …