Evaluating The Serviceability Of The Cracked Reinforced Concrete Space Shuttle Crawlerway Tunnel

    Authors

    F. F. Barsoum;W. F. Carroll

    Comments

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    Abbreviated Journal Title

    Comput. Struct.

    Keywords

    Computer Science, Interdisciplinary Applications; Engineering, Civil

    Abstract

    Several large transverse cracks in the concrete of the Space Shuttle crawlerway tunnel at the Kennedy Space Center have been observed recently. The cracks could signal structural failure of the tunnel which could impact adversely on the Space Shuttle program. This paper studies the behavior of the tunnel under loads imposed by the crawler-transporter and shuttle in order to recommend possible repair or reinforcement. The tunnel is modeled as a beam in an elastic foundation comprised of finite beam elements. Results from the computer code developed for the analysis of the crawlerway tunnel indicate that, at several locations along the length of the tunnel, plastic hinges form in response to the crawler-transporter loads. At each plastic hinge concrete failure is assumed and locations for the predicted plastic hinges are close to the locations of the major structural cracks. Though the cracks signal concrete failure at specific locations, the tunnel will carry the load of the current crawler-transporter and the Space Shuttle, acting as a hinged linkage embedded in an elastic foundation. Copyright (C) 1996 Elsevier Science Ltd

    Journal Title

    Computers & Structures

    Volume

    60

    Issue/Number

    2

    Publication Date

    1-1-1996

    Document Type

    Article

    Language

    English

    First Page

    173

    Last Page

    179

    WOS Identifier

    WOS:A1996UP65400001

    ISSN

    0045-7949

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