Development of an orthotropic composite slab system for road bridges

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In contrast to reinforced concrete and conventional composite bridges, the orthotropic steel deck slab offers a high load‐bearing capacity combined with a low dead weight. It is therefore ideally suited for slender and long‐span structures. However, the notch sharpness in the details and drastically increased traffic loads led to extensive fatigue damage and, as a consequence, often to premature repair or replacement work. With the ortho‐composite slab a lightweight and robust construction is currently being developed as an alternative. It combines the significant advantages of a low dead weight, long service life and economical production. The construction consists of a modified orthotropic stiffened steel plate and a thin, single‐layer reinforced in‐situ concrete. Composite dowel strips (CDS) with a clothoid shape are provided as shear connectors. In this paper, the experimental test program will be introduced. It comprises static push‐out tests on CDS in longitudinal and transverse directions as well as static and cyclic beam and segment tests. The focus lies on the test set‐ups, sample preparations, measurement concepts and the results of the so‐called beam tests. The investigations presented here were carried out as part of the AiF‐FOSTA research project P1265 [1].

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Experimental determination of the fatigue behavior of dowel strips in ortho‐composite slabs for road bridges

Wisnewski,

Stroetmann

2023

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“…To provide a foundation for the questions to be answered within the framework of the research project, extensive experimental and structural-mechanical investigations [3], [11], [12], [13]).…”

Section: Experimental Investigationsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Orthotropic composite slabs for road bridges

Stroetmann,

Wisnewski,

Mansperger

2023

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Large increases in traffic loads led to extensive fatigue damages to existing orthotropic steel deck slabs of road bridges. Reinforced concrete bridges and conventional composite bridges are less susceptible to fatigue but considerably heavier. The ortho‐composite slab is a lightweight and robust alternative construction method, which retains the advantages of the previously mentioned construction methods, but eliminates their disadvantages. Within the framework of the AiF‐FOSTA research project P1265 [1], the construction of the bridge deck was developed using dowel strips as composite elements with high load‐bearing capacity and fatigue resistance. The principle of area composite with loading of the dowel strips in longitudinal and transverse direction was used. Extensive experimental and structural mechanics studies were conducted, particularly investigating the load‐bearing capacity and fatigue strength of the ortho‐composite slab under local load application. The following article describes the load‐bearing structure of the ortho‐composite slab and the motivation for the research project P1265. It gives an overview of the experimental investigations carried out. Finally, the article presents pilot projects that were carried out to apply the construction method. In further articles on Eurosteel, the experimental investigations and structural‐mechanical calculations are described in more detail (see [2] and [3]).

“…The investigations create important foundations for the establishment of the innovative construction method as an economical and durable alternative. The papers [2] and [3] give an overview of the construction and the load bearing behavior of the OC-Slab, the paper [4] details about the experimental test program. This paper describes the numerical investigations carried out.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Numerical investigations of the load‐bearing and fatigue behavior of orthotropic composite slabs for road bridges

Lewerenz,

Shirinzadeh,

Stroetmann

2023

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Fatigue damage to existing steel bridges occurred due to the large increases in traffic loads and the notch sharpness in the details of orthotropic steel roadway slabs. The development of the orthotropic‐composite‐slab (OC‐slab) provides an alternative durable and lightweight composite construction. As part of the AIF‐FOSTA research project P1265 [1], the orthotropic‐composite‐slab for road bridges is currently being investigated at the Technische Universität Dresden. The project aims to develop fundamentals for the design of OC‐slabs with dowel strips. The investigations create important foundations for the establishment of the innovative construction method as an economical and durable alternative. The papers [2] and [3] give an overview of the construction and the load bearing behavior of the OC‐Slab, the paper [4] details about the experimental test program. This paper describes the numerical investigations carried out. They complement the experimental tests and provide additional knowledge about the load‐bearing and fatigue behavior of the OC‐slabs with dowel strips. The focus is on the presentation of the numerical simulation of the beam test and the determination of the ultimate and fatigue strength of the structure.