Keywords

prestress, post-tensioned, concrete, box girder, guideway, bridge, condition assessment, finite element model, structural health monitoring, reliability, load rating, highway bridges, modal analysis, parameter sensitivity

Abstract

Objective condition assessment is essential to make better decisions for safety and serviceability of existing civil infrastructure systems. This study explores the condition of an existing transit guideway system that has been in service for thirty-five years. The structural system is composed of six-span continuous prestressed concrete bridge segments. The overall transit system incorporates a number of continuous bridges which share common design details, geometries, and loading conditions. The original analysis is based on certain simplifying assumptions such as rigid behavior over supports and simplified tendon/concrete/steel plate interaction. The current objective is to conduct a representative study for a more accurate understanding of the structural system and its behavior. The scope of the study is to generate finite element models (FEMs) to be used in static and dynamic parameter sensitivity studies, as well load rating and reliability analysis of the structure. The FEMs are used for eigenvalue analysis and simulations. Parameter sensitivity studies consider the effect of changing critical parameters, including material properties, prestress loss, and boundary and continuity conditions, on the static and dynamic structural response. Load ratings are developed using an American Association for State Highway Transportation Officials Load and Resistance Factor Rating (AASHTO LRFR) approach. The reliability of the structural system is evaluated based on the data obtained from various finite element models. Recommendations for experimental validation of the FEM are presented. This study is expected to provide information to make better decisions for operations, maintenance and safety requirements; to be a benchmark for future studies, to establish a procedure and methodology for structural condition assessment, and to contribute to the general research body of knowledge in condition assessment and structural health monitoring.

Notes

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Graduation Date

2005

Semester

Summer

Advisor

Catbas, F. Necati

Degree

Master of Science (M.S.)

College

College of Engineering and Computer Science

Department

Civil and Environmental Engineering

Degree Program

Civil Engineering

Format

application/pdf

Identifier

CFE0000658

URL

http://purl.fcla.edu/fcla/etd/CFE0000658

Language

English

Release Date

August 2006

Length of Campus-only Access

None

Access Status

Masters Thesis (Open Access)

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