Investigation of a hybrid bridge girder with reinforced concrete web and steel flanges
The subject of this research program was to investigate the behaviour of a unique hybrid bridge girder under various types of loading. The hybrid girder was made up of a reinforced concrete web with steel flange plates connected to the top and bottom using steel headed shear studs. This system is...
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Language: | English |
Published: |
2009
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Online Access: | http://hdl.handle.net/2429/4263 |
Summary: | The subject of this research program was to investigate the behaviour of a unique hybrid
bridge girder under various types of loading. The hybrid girder was made up of a reinforced
concrete web with steel flange plates connected to the top and bottom using steel headed
shear studs. This system is known under its commercial name as "COMPO-GIRDER.™"
The research program was divided in two phases. In Phase I, 20 half-scale elements
were tested under shear dominated loading in a special element tester (Adebar, 1991). The
objective was to investigate the interaction of horizontal and vertical shear strengths.
Numerous shear failure modes were observed during the tests. The measured shear
strengths were compared with the predicted shear capacities using the design provisions in
the CAN/CSA-S6-88 code and the draft CHBDC code. The comparisons indicated that the
code design provisions were appropriate for both the horizontal and vertical shear design of
the hybrid girder elements.
One full-scale bridge specimen was tested in Phase II and consisted of a hybrid girder
with concrete deck panels compositely attached to it. The simply supported bridge specimen
was subjected to two equal point loads at the third points. The behaviour of the test
specimen was studied under service loads and increasing load until failure.
Many aspects of the bridge test specimen behaviour were investigated. Perhaps the
most important one was the extent of cracking in the girder under service loads. Crack
widths measured at the service load level were found to meet the CEB-FJP code limits for a
"Moderate" environment and the BS 5400 limits for a "Severe" environment. |
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