Engineering Commons^™

Multi-Barge Flotilla Impact Forces On Bridges, Peng Yuan, Issam E. Harik, Michael T. Davidson

Kentucky Transportation Center Research Report

The current AASHTO equations for barge impact loads are based on scale models of barges, and may not accurately predict impact loads on bridge piers. The results of this study produce more realistic flotilla impact design loads, potentially leading to a reduction in construction costs of bridges over navigable waterways. The objectives of this study are: (1) To conduct theoretical finite element analysis on various types of flotillas impacting bridge piers. The flotillas and the respective barges will be of the type commonly traversing Kentucky’s waterways; and (2) To generate design equations for barge/flotilla impact loads. The study concludes the …

Equivalent Barge And Flotilla Impact Forces On Bridge Piers, Peng Yuan, Issam E. Harik

Kentucky Transportation Center Research Report

Bridge piers located in navigable inland waterways are designed to resist impact forces from barges and flotillas in addition to other design considerations (e.g., scour, dead and live loads, etc.). The primary design tool for estimating these forces is the AASHTO Guide Specification which provides a simple hand calculation method for determining an “equivalent impact force”. The simplicity comes at a cost of excluding the effect of the pier shape, impact duration, and interaction between barges in a flotilla. The objective of this report is to present a hand calculation method for determining barge or flotilla equivalent static impact forces …

Analysis And Design Of Bridges Susceptible To Barge Impact, Michael W. Whitney, Issam E. Harik

Kentucky Transportation Center Research Report

The current American Association of State Highway Traffic Organizations (AASHTO) Guide Specification for Collision Design of Highway Bridges provides three statistical methods(methods I, II, and III) for determining the design vessel for impact analysis. These methods focus mainly on ship impact and not on barge impact design for bridges susceptible to vessel (ship or barge) impact. This is due to the tremendous variation in flotilla sizes, barge types, and barge sizes. This study presents an analysis procedure by which the statistical design methods of the AASHTO Guide Specification can be applied to inland waterway bridge design.

Design of bridges susceptible …

Barge Traffic On Kentucky Rivers, Michael W. Whitney, Issam E. Harik, James J. Griffin, David L. Allen

Kentucky Transportation Center Research Report

Kentucky currently has the second longest navigable inland waterway system in the United States. Prior to the design of a bridge at a specific location on a river, a thorough investigation of barge traffic at that location ust be conducted. This report investigates the barge traffic on all navigable waterways in Kentucky. This report provides the data necessary to develop the risk assessment procedures for Kentucky vessel impact design problems in accordance with the AASHTO Guide Specification and Commentary for Vessel Collision Design of Highway Bridges design Method II. Method II is more rigorous to apply than Method I, but …

Barge Impact Loads For The Maysville Bridge, Michael W. Whitney, Issam E. Harik, James J. Griffin, David L. Allen

Kentucky Transportation Center Research Report

This report provides the barge equivalent static load distribution data needed to apply method II of vessel impact design for the Maysville, Kentucky bridge over the Ohio River. The information provided in this report is in accordance with the AASHTO Guide Specification and Commentary for Vessel Collision Design of Highway Bridges.

A computer program was written to process the database and calculate the probability based length, width., and capacity for each barge category. Additionally, a second computer program was written to calculate the probability based number of barges in a flotilla column and row, and subsequently categorize that flotilla based …