Nordic Steel Bridges--Trends and Development

The development of steel bridges has been very strong for many years implementing composite structures, higher steel grades and hybrid girders, thus improving cost efficiency in bridge superstructures. As construction moves more towards inner city, there is need for even more improvement. As global resources as scarce, and society in general expect more value for same money. With Constructional Excellence--a well defined process from steel mill to installed bridge which includes design management, new foundation solutions, the best practice of current steel bridges and intelligent installation put together in robust system solutions. This paper will show resource efficiency in three dimensions, money, time and less traffic disturbance.

Fatigue damage analysis of epoxy asphalt pavement for steel bridges considering coupled effects of heavy load and temperature variations

To investigate the fatigue damage of epoxy asphalt pavement(EAP)under a heavy load and a d temperature load,the load-figure of the heavy load on the steel bridge deck pavement(SBDP)was simulated first,and the temperature distribution of SBDP during the temperature-fall period in winter was also calculated.Secondly,t e moving heavy load coupled W t the most unfavorable temperatre load was applied to the SBDP,and the tensile stress on the top of SBDP was calculated.Finally,the fatigue damage of EAP was evaluated considering the extreme situation of heavily overloaded and severe environments.The results show that botte heavy load and the temperature load during t e temperature-fall period c n increase the tensile stress on the top of SBDP significantly.In the exteme situation of heavily overloaded and severe environments,a fatigue crack is easily generated,and thus the SBDP should avoid t e coupling effects of the heavy loadand the temperature load in winter.

Design methods of headed studs for composite decks of through steel bridges in high-speed railway

Aimed at two typical composite floor systems of through steel bridges in high speed railway,design methods of headed studs were put forward for different composite members through comparing and analyzing the structure,mechanical characteristics and transmission routes of deck loads.The simplified calculation models were brought out for the stud design of the longitudinal girders and transverse girders in the composite floor system of Nanjing Dashengguan Yangtze River Bridge (NDB).Studs were designed and arranged by taking the middle panel of 336 m main span for example.The results show that under deck loads,the longitudinal girders in the composite floor system of through steel bridges are in tension-bending state,longitudinal shear force on the interface is caused by both longitudinal force of "The first mechanical system" and vertical bending of "The second mechanical system",and studs can be arranged with equal space in terms of the shear force in range of 0.2d (where d is the panel length) on the top ends.Transverse girders in steel longitudinal and transverse girders-concrete slab composite deck are in compound-bending state,and out-of-plane bending has to be taken into account in the stud design.In orthotropic integral steel deck-concrete slab composite deck,out-of-plane bending of transverse girders is very small so that it can be neglected,and studs on the orthotropic integral steel deck can be arranged according to the structural requirements.The above design methods and simplified calculation models have been applied in the stud design of NDB.

Construction Management and Installation Quality Control Strategy of Steel Bridges

At present,China’s bridges are mostly made of concrete,which contain a large amount of cement,sand and gravel and other materials,which can easily cause environmental pollution.At the same time,China’s total steel production continues to rank first in the world.The construction and development of steel bridges have sufficient basic support.At the same time,steel is more environmental-friendly than concrete,with higher strength,lower weight,and can reduce construction waste significantly,so the development of steel bridges has been on the rise.To optimize the application effect of steel structure bridges,it is necessary to analyze the construction management and installation quality control strategies of steel bridges for reference.

Dynamic Response Impact of Vehicle Braking on Simply Supported Beam Bridges with Corrugated Steel Webs Based on Vehicle-Bridge Coupled Vibration Analysis

A novel approach for analyzing coupled vibrations between vehicles and bridges is presented,taking into account spatiotemporal effects and mechanical phenomena resulting fromvehicle braking.Efficient modeling and solution of bridge vibrations induced by vehicle deceleration are realized using this method.The method’s validity and reliability are substantiated through numerical examples.A simply supported beam bridge with a corrugated steel web is taken as an example and the effects of parameters such as the initial vehicle speed,braking acceleration,braking location,and road surface roughness on the mid-span displacement and impact factor of the bridge are analyzed.The results show that vehicle braking significantly amplifies mid-span displacement and impact factor responses in comparison to uniform vehicular motion across the bridge.Notably,the influence of wheelto-bridge friction forces is of particular significance and cannot be overlooked.When the vehicle initiates braking near the middle of the span,both the mid-span displacement and impact factor of the bridge exhibit substantial increases,further escalating with higher braking acceleration.Under favorable road surface conditions,the midspan displacement and the impact factor during vehicle braking may exceed the design values stipulated by codes.It is important to note that road surface roughness exerts a more pronounced effect on the impact factor of the bridge in comparison to the effects of vehicle braking.

Numerical Simulation Analysis of Welded Joints in Arch Ribs of Large Span Steel Pipe Arch Bridges

In order to study the residual stress distribution law of welded joints of arch ribs of large-span steel pipe concrete arch bridges,numerical simulation of temperature,stress and strain fields based on ABAQUS for welded joints of arch-ribbed steel tubes using 7-,8-and 9-layer welds is carried out and its accuracy is demonstrated.The steel pipe welding temperature changes,residual stress distribution,different processes residual stress changes in the law,the prediction of post-weld residual stress distribution and deformation are studied in this paper.The results show that the temperature field values and test results are more consistent with the accuracy of numerical simulation of welding,the welding process is mainly in the form of heat transfer;Residual high stresses are predominantly distributed in the Fusion zone(FZ)and Heat-affected zone(HAZ),with residual stress levels tending to decrease from the center of the weld along the axial path,the maximum stress appears in the FZ and HAZ junction;The number of welding layers has an effect on the residual stress distribution,the number of welding layers increases,the residual stress tends to decrease,while the FZ and HAZ high stress area range shrinks;Increasing the number of plies will increase the amount of residual distortion.

Defect Inspection Technology for Steel Truss Suspension Bridges

Steel truss suspension bridges are prone to developing defects after prolonged use.These defects may include corrosion of the main cable or the steel truss.To ensure the normal and safe functioning of the suspension bridge,it is necessary to inspect for defects promptly,understand the cause of the defect,and locate it through the use of inspection technology.By promptly addressing defects,the suspension bridge’s safety can be ensured.The author has analyzed the common defects and causes of steel truss suspension bridges and proposed specific inspection technologies.This research is intended to aid in the timely discovery of steel truss suspension bridge defects.

Value of Charpy impact test results with sub-and half-size specimens extracted from overage steel bridge members

For the maintenance of steel bridges,the mechanical properties of steel used in the bridges must be elucidated.When enough dimensions of specimens cannot be extracted from the actual members,miniaturized specimens are used for evaluation.In the case of the Charpy impact test,sub-and half-size specimens are specified instead of full-size specimens of which the thickness is 10 mm.The value of absorbed energy and energy transient temperature obtained by Charpy impact tests with sub-size and half-size specimens were investigated from the viewpoint of maintenance of bridges in this study.The absorbed energy was not in proportion to the thickness of specimens of steel used in the actual overage bridges.The tendency of energy transient temperature obtained by thin specimens of the overage steel differed from that of the present steel.A method for evaluating the performance against brittle fracture occurrence based on the WES3003 criterion was examined.The results show the significance of evaluation based on the energy transient temperature for reasonable maintenance of bridges.

Weldability of steel used in an aged bridge

A series of experiments was performed to investigate the weldability of steel used in an aged bridge.A steel material used in an aged railway bridge constructed in 1912 was extracted for this investigation.The chemical compositions of this steel were suitable for welding.However,the aged steel contained much sulfur.Cruciform welded joints were fabricated with this aged steel.Welding defects or cracks were not observed in the joints.The Vickers hardness test on the welded part did not confirm extreme hardening or softening.After yielding by the static tensile test,the cruciform joints were fractured at the welded parts.One of the specimens was fractured in the middle of the thickness of the aged steel.The Sulfur contained in the aged steel might cause this type of fracture.The results show that there may be a risk of brittle fracture not only from the welded part but also from the base metal.The chemical compositions of aged steel must be analyzed when repair welding is applied to the steel.

Numerical investigation of temperature gradient-induced thermal stress for steel–concrete composite bridge deck in suspension bridges

A3D finite element model(FEM)with realistic field measurements of temperature distributions is proposed to investigate the thermal stress variation in the steel–concrete composite bridge deck system.First,a brief literaturereview indicates that traditional thermal stress calculation in suspension bridges is based on the2D plane structure with simplified temperature profiles on bridges.Thus,a3D FEM is proposed for accurate stress analysis.The focus is on the incorporation of full field arbitrary temperature profile for the stress analysis.Following this,the effect of realistic temperature distribution on the structure is investigated in detail and an example using field measurements of Aizhai Bridge is integrated with the proposed3D FEM model.Parametric studies are used to illustrate the effect of different parameters on the thermal stress distribution in the bridge structure.Next,the discussion and comparison of the proposed methodology and simplified calculation method in the standard is given.The calculation difference and their potential impact on the structure are shown in detail.Finally,some conclusions and recommendations for future bridge analysis and design are given based on the proposed study.

A Survey of Steel Arch Bridges in China

A review of the current status and progress of steel arch bridges in China is presented in this paper. The existing steel arch bridges in China were analyzed in terms of steel material, span, structure type, main arch rib form and construction method. The comparison with CFST arch bridges and RC arch bridges is also conducted. It is shown that steel arch bridge has gain rapid development in China since 2000, characterized by long main spans. As for the span, most of the steel arch bridges have a span less than 250 m, while when the span exceeds 350 m, steel arch bridges are strongly competitive against CFST or RC arch bridges. Over 80% of the bridges are through and half-through bridge types, and the arch ribs are hingeless structures. The rise-to-span ratios of the arches are mainly between 1：4 and 1： 5. Most of the arches use solid box ribs, and a small portion of arches use truss ribs in which box sections are mostly adopted for the truss members. The cantilever method and scaffolding method are the two main construction methods used, but some other construction methods have also been developed.

Approach for analyzing the ultimate strength of concrete filled steel tubular arch bridges with stiffening girder

A convenient approach is proposed for analyzing the ultimate load carrying capacity of concrete filled steel tubular (CFST) arch bridge with stiffening girders. A fiber model beam element is specially used to simulate the stiffening girder and CFST arch rib. The geometric nonlinearity, material nonlinearity, influence of the construction process and the contribution of prestressing reinforcement are all taken into consideration. The accuracy of this method is validated by comparing its results with experimental results. Finally, the ultimate strength of an abnormal CFST arch bridge with stiffening girders is investigated and the effect of construction method is discussed. It is concluded that the construction process has little effect on the ultimate strength of the bridge.

Fatigue Performance Evaluation for Welded Details in Orthotropic Steel Deck Bridges Using Multi-Scale Finite Element Method

In order to study the fatigue properties of rib-to-deck welded connection and rib-to-rib welded connection in orthotropic steel bridge decks,a multi-scale finite element model was set up to analyze the stress distribution characteristics and the load test was conducted on the Taizhou Yangtze River Bridge.Comparing the vehicle test results with the muli-scale finite element model results to verify the accuracy of the finite element simulation for the stress response of two welded details.The results indicated that The stress at the rib-to-deck welded connection and the rib-to-rib welded connection are the bending stress and the membrane stress,respectively;the stress response of the two welded connection has strong local characteristics;the lateral stress influence line of the two welded connection is relatively short and the length of the lateral stress influence line is greatly affected by the longitudinal ribs;increasing the thickness of the roof and longitudinal ribs can reduce the stress response and improve the stress performance of the heavy lanes.For the two welded details,the fatigue damage increment of the ordinary lane is greater than the heavy lane.The thickened roof and longitudinal ribs at the position of the heavy lane still cannot balance the fatigue damage caused by the heavy truck.Therefore,it is necessary to strictly control the fatigue effect of overloaded vehicles on steel box girders.

Seismic behavior of steel tubular bridge columns equipped with low-yield-point steel plates in the root replaceable pier

To enable rapid recovery of a steel bridge column after an earthquake,a novel tubular-section steel bridge column equipped with low-yield-point(LYP)steel tubular plates in the root replaceable pier is proposed.For the purpose of discussing the seismic behavior of the novel steel bridge column,quasi-static tests and finite element simulation analyses of the specimens were carried out.The effects of parameters such as the axial compression ratio,eccentricity,and thickness and material strength of the tubular plate in the energy-dissipating zone are discussed.Experimental results from seven specimens that were subjected to four failure modes are presented.The damage to the quasi-static specimens is localized to the replaceable energy-dissipating pier.The seismic behavior of the novel steel bridge columns is significantly influenced by the axial compression ratio and eccentricity of specimens.Numerical results show that the high stress area of the specimens is mainly concentrated in the connection zone between the LYP steel tubular plate and the bottom steel plate,which is consistent with the position of the quasi-static specimen when it was prone to fracture.Finally,a calculation formula is proposed to facilitate the capacity prediction of this new steel tubular bridge column under repeated loading.

Research on heavy-haul adaptive technology and strengthening measures for existing railway steel bridge

Purpose–This research addresses the diverse characteristics of existing railway steel bridges in China,including variations in construction age,design standards,structural types,manufacturing processes,materials and service conditions.It also focuses on prominent defects and challenges related to heavy transportation conditions,particularly low live haul reserves and severe fatigue problems.Design/methodology/approach–The study encompasses three key aspects:(1)Adaptability assessment:It begins with assessing the suitability of existing railway steel bridges for heavy-haul operations through comprehensive analyses,experiments and engineering applications.(2)Strengthening:To combat frequent crack defects in the vertical stiffener end structure of girder webs,fatigue performance tests and reinforcement scheme experiments were conducted.These experiments included the development of a hot-spot stress S-N curve for this structure,validating the effectiveness of methods like crack stop holes,ultrasonic hammering and flange angle steel.(3)Service life extension:Research on the cruciform welded joint structure(non-fusion transfer type)focused on fatigue performance over the long life cycle.This led to the establishment of a fatigue S-N curve,enhancing Chinese design codes.Findings–The research achieved several significant outcomes:(1)Successful implementation of strengthening and retrofitting measures on a 64-m single-span double-track railway steel truss girder on an existing heavy-duty line.(2)Post-reinforcement,a substantial 26%to 32%reduction in live haul stress on bridge members was achieved.(3)The strengthening and retrofitting efforts met design expectations,enabling the bridge to accommodate vehicles with a 30-ton axle haul on the railway line.Originality/value–This research systematically tackles challenges and defects associated with Chinese existing railway steel bridges,providing valuable insights into adaptability assessment,strengthening techniques and service life extension methods.Furthermore,the development of fatigue S-N curves and the successful implementation of bridge enhancements have practical implications for improving the resilience and operational capacity of railway steel bridges in China.

A systematic review of steel bridge deck pavement in China

As an important part of steel bridge deck,the engineering quality and service condition of steel bridge deck pavement(SBDP)directly affects the capacity and operational efficiency of the bridge.This paper reviews the history of the development of SBDP in China over the past 20 years from the exploration stage,rapid development stage and prosperity stage.The development and application of SBDP at different stages are discussed in terms of materials,structure,design,performance evaluation,maintenance and rehabilitation,respectively.The advantages and disadvantages of different pavement materials and structures,and the application of different research methods are summarized.The review shows that the improvement of pavement materials and structures and the development of new materials should be further studied on the multi-scale to enhance the durability of pavement materials,so as to extend the service life of pavements.The design method of SBDP related to the synergistic effect of vehicle,pavement and bridge should be established,and the design concept and method standard of rigid base pavement structure should be improved and formulate a complete design standard.In addition,multi-disease intelligent identification system and equipment should be studied to track the entire course of disease development in real time.And it is necessary to develop appropriate algorithms to select and classify the complex data of disease and maintenance history.

Interfacial behaviors of epoxy asphalt surfacing on steel decks

A model for predicting the interface behavior of epoxy asphalt and steel composite beam under negative bending is developed incorporating partial interaction theory. Interfacial slips between the steel deck and the epoxy asphalt surfacing are included in the model with a new parameter of membrane stiffness. A series of analytical equations based on this model are derived to calculate slip and strain at the interface. Also, a numerical procedure for calculating the load responses of simply supported composite beams with concentrated force at the mid-span is established and verified with two samples. Characters of slip and strain at the interface, sensitivities of tensile stress and interface shear stress with material parameters are studied. It can be concluded that interfacial effects decrease the bending stiffness of the composite; hard and stiff bonding material is better for asphalt surfacing layer working at normal to low temperatures, and the damage of the asphalt surfacing layer will be accelerated with the damage accumulation of the bonding coat.

Axle-equivalent method of steel-deck pavement

An index system of steel deck pavement design is proposed according to the study and classification of failure types. Furthermore the axle-equivalent equation is presented according to the fatigue principle of pavement structures. Based on indoor experiments and theoretical analysis, this paper studies the stress characteristics of three different axle types which are corresponding with the other three typical pavement structures, and also presents the parameters of each axle＇s equivalent formula. The three axle types include single-axle single-wheel, single-axle double-wheel and double-axle double-wheel. According to analyses of influential factors such as climate, environment, traffic and stress condition, the developed axle equivalent formula and the parameters modified by the field test data can be applied in the design of a new bridge deck pavement and the assessment of an existing bridge deck pavement.

Design and laboratory evaluation of fog-sealed chip seal on epoxy asphalt pavement for steel bridge deck

In order to improve the surface performace of epoxy asphalt pavement （EAP） for steel bridge deck, an epoxy asphalt chip seal （ ECS） covered by a cationic emulsified asphalt fog seal （i. e., fog-sealed chip seal） isproposed and a laboratory study is conducted to design and evaluate te fog-sealed chip seal. First, the evaluation indices and methods of te chip seal on steel bridge deck pavement were proposed. Secondly, the worst pavement conditions during te maintenance time were simulated by te small traffic load simulation system MMLS3 and the short-term aging test for minimizing the failure probability of chip seal. Finally, the design parameters of fog-sealed chip seal were determined by the experimental analysis and the performance of the designed fog-sealed chip seal was evaluated in thelaboratory. Results indicate that the proposed simulation method of pavement conditions is effective and the maximal load repetitions on the EAPslab specimen are approximately 925 300 times. Moreover, the designed fog-sealedchip sealcan provide a dense surface with sufficient skid resistance,aggregate-asphalt aahesive performance and interlayer shearing resistance.

Finite element model updating of existing steel bridge based on structural health monitoring

Based on the physical meaning of sensitivity,a new finite element(FE) model updating method was proposed. In this method,a three-dimensional FE model of the Nanjing Yangtze River Bridge(NYRB) with ANSYS program was established and updated by modifying some design parameters. To further validate the updated FE model,the analytical stress-time histories responses of main members induced by a moving train were compared with the measured ones. The results show that the relative error of maximum stress is 2.49% and the minimum relative coefficient of analytical stress-time histories responses is 0.793. The updated model has a good agreement between the calculated data and the tested data,and provides a current baseline FE model for long-term health monitoring and condition assessment of the NYRB. At the same time,the model is validated by stress-time histories responses to be feasible and practical for railway steel bridge model updating.