Engineering Commons^™

Aesthetic Coatings For Concrete Bridge Components, Brent Kriha

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis evaluated the durability and aesthetic performance of coating systems for utilization in concrete bridge applications. The principle objectives of this thesis were: 1) Identify aesthetic coating systems appropriate for concrete bridge applications; 2) Evaluate the performance of the selected systems through a laboratory testing regimen; 3) Develop guidelines for coating selection, surface preparation, and application.

A series of site visits to various bridges throughout the State of Wisconsin provided insight into the performance of common coating systems and allowed problematic structural details to be identified. To aid in the selection of appropriate coating systems, questionnaires were distributed to …

Evaluation Of Redundancy Of Twin Steel Box-Girder Bridges, Huy V. Pham

FIU Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Based on the definition given in the AASHTO LRFD Bridge Design Specifications, twin steel box-girder bridges are classified as bridges with fracture critical members (FCMs), in which a failure of a tension member is expected to lead to a collapse of the bridge. However, a number of such bridges with either a partial or full-depth crack in one girder have been reported and are still providing service without collapsing. The main objective of this research project is to understand the behavior of twin steel box-girder bridges and to develop methods for evaluating their redundancy level in the event of the …

Seismic Design Of A Prestressed Concrete Bridge, Alperen Ozel

University of New Orleans Theses and Dissertations

Latest advancements in software have become an indispensable tool in structural analysis. The main goal of this thesis is to examine dynamic responses of bridges in seismic activity with the help of such tool as CSi Bridge. Therefore, throughout this study, a prestressed concrete bridge model will be thoroughly designed. In the first section, the required materials and structural components will be introduced. The following section will cover calculations required for modeling. The actual modeling of the structure will be carried out in Section 3. In Section 4, the set of required analysis for seismic design such as modal, pushover …

Warning Systems Evaluation For Overhead Clearance Detection, Clayton Rogers

GS4 Georgia Southern Student Scholars Symposium

The accurate detection of road vehicle heights is a need that arises in departments of transportation across the nation. Usually, this dimension is required to solve various transportation issues. In particular, numerous bridges in the state of Georgia have been affected by repetitive crashes of tall vehicles against their structural elements. As an example, a recent inspection report of the Houlihan Bridge over the Savannah River documents damages resulting from numerous hits by overheight vehicles. This case emphasizes the urgency of finding preventive measures. To address this issue, a number of solutions are investigated. The known methods of vehicle height …

Integrated Solar Technologies With Outdoor Pedestrian Bridge Superstructure Decking, Richard K. Racz

Masters Theses

Solar technology has been a major topic in sustainable design for many years. In the last five years, however, the solar technology industry has seen a rapid growth in installations and technological advances in cell design. Combined with a rapidly declining overall system cost, the idea of introducing solar technology into a wider range of applications is becoming a focus for engineers and scientists around the world. So many variables which alter solar energy production, such as the sun and surrounding environment, determine whether a solar design is beneficial. This thesis presents a bridge deck surface integrated with solar cells …

Static And Dynamic Characterization Of Tied Arch Bridges, John Edward Finke

Doctoral Dissertations

"Tied arch bridges have been designed and constructed since the late 19th century. With their open vista owing to minimalist features tied arch bridges continue to appeal the public. Tied arch bridges are both aesthetic and economical alternates to long span bridges holding a place in the hierarchy of major bridges. They fit in a niche between viable and economical plate girder spans and short cable stayed bridge spans. There are several variations of the tied arch with the most common form being those having vertical hangers, stiff tie girders and slender arch ribs. This tied arch variation is examined …

Use Of Sacrificial Embankments To Minimize Bridge Damage From Scour During Extreme Flow Events, Matthew Willi Brand

Graduate College Dissertations and Theses

The leading cause of bridge failure has often been identified as bridge scour, which is generally defined as the erosion or removal of streambed and/or bank material around bridge foundations due to flowing water. These scour critical bridges are particularly vulnerable during extreme flood events, and pose a major risk to human life, transportation infrastructure, and economic sustainability. Climate change is increasing the intensity and persistence of large flow events throughout the world, further straining bridge infrastructure. Retrofitting the thousands of undersized and scour critical bridges to more rigorous standards is prohibitively expensive, and current countermeasures inadequately address the core …