Evaluation of Seasonal and Yearly Behavior of an Integral Abutment Bridge

Over the past decades, an increasing number of bridges with integral abutment have been built in Switzerland. This type of bridge offers various advantages over standard bridges with abutments, equipped with expansion joints and bearings that require regular inspection and maintenance. One main concern of integral abutment bridges is related to the soil-structure interaction, in particular between the transition slab and the embankment. To avoid any expansion joints, transition slabs are directly connected to the end of integral abutment bridges. They are therefore subject to large displacements of the bridge deck due to temperature effects and creep and shrinkage in concrete bridges. Consequently, detailing of transition slabs needs to be carefully considered. This paper investigates the behaviour of transition slabs, focusing on the settlement of the pavement at the end of the transition slab and on the cracking of the pavement between the bridge deck and transition slab. On that basis, a modified geometry of the transition slab and a new detail for the connection between the bridge deck and the transition slab are proposed. If these propositions are considered at an early stage in the design process, they will result in an improved long term performance of bridges with integral abutments without increasing the construction costs.

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“…This increase in the stiffness of the embankment was also observed in field measurements. 10 Once the earth pressure s h…”

Section: Abutment Wallsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Transition Slabs of Integral Abutment Bridges

Dreier

Burdet

Muttoni

2011

Structural Engineering International

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“…In this type of bridge, relatively large forces caused by the earth pressure and cracking due to imposed deformations may arise in the abutment wall when the bridge expands or shortens. Constructional solutions have been proposed to increase the flexibility of the abutments of integral bridges or to decrease the earth pressure behind them [5], [10], [16], [17], [18], [19]. Semi-integral bridges are bridges in which the bridge superstructure and the transition slab are monolithically connected and sliding bearings are placed at the top of the abutment wall (Figs.…”

Section: Integral Bridgesmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Most publications on this subject are either of an analytical nature [6], [7], [8], [9] or are based on field measurements of the actual performance of recently built integral bridges [10], [11], [12]. A few authors report on the actual behaviour of the road surface in service [3], [13], [14], [15].…”

Section: Experimental Investigation Of Soil-structure Interaction Formentioning

confidence: 99%

“…For concrete bridges, shrinkage causes shortening of the bridge, as does creep in prestressed concrete bridges [8], [9], [10]. On one side the amplitude of the displacements at the bridge end is proportional to its distance from the fixed point; on the other side it is proportional to the total longitudinal strain resulting from temperature, shrinkage and creep [6].…”

Section: Bridge Movementsmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Experimental investigation of soil‐structure interaction for the transition slabs of integral bridges

Burdet

Einpaul

Muttoni

2015

Structural Concrete

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This paper presents the results of an experimental test series carried out to investigate the soil‐structure‐pavement interaction in the vicinity of the transition slab at the end of an integral bridge. The main function of transition slabs is to ease the transition between the bridge deck and the embankment in the case of differential settlement. Additionally, in the case of integral bridges, transition slabs can solve the problem of moderate imposed longitudinal deformations at the bridge ends. In this case the displacements imposed on the transition slab can lead to vertical and longitudinal surface displacements and to cracking of the pavement. Based on the observed behaviour, some recommendations are proposed for the geometry and surface conditions in order to optimize the behaviour of transition slabs.

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“…Only recently, Dicleli and Erhan [12] have conducted a limited research study on live load distribution in IB girders. Most research on IBs is concentrated on the performance of such bridges under thermal effects [13][14][15][16][17][18]. Thus, in this study, LLDEs for the substructure components of single-span IBs are developed to address the above mentioned uncertainties and to provide useful tools to the bridge engineering community at large for the design of IB abutments and piles under live load effects.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%