Study on low temperature performance of Gussasphalt on steel decks with hard bitumen

Using a Hamburg wheel-track test device, the resistance to rutting of Gussasphalt is tested and compared. Gussasphalt with hard bitumen has good resistance to rutting. The related resistance abilities to cracking at low temperature of Gussasphalt are tested and compared through flexural experiments and the composite structure fatigue test with temperature dropping. Gussasphalt with high performance polymer modified bitumen has a longer fatigue life and a lower breaking temperature; they can be used in the future surfaces for steel bridge decks in Germany.

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.

Investigation of the environmental impacts of steel deck pavement based on life cycle assessment

To investigate the environmental impacts of steel deck pavement through the whole life cycle,the steel deck pavement was divided into five stages:raw materials production,asphalt mixture mixing,pavement construction,operation management,and pavement removing stage.Based on the process-based life cycle assessment(PLCA)method,the calculation methods of energy consumption and gas emissions of two typical steel deck pavement systems(EA+EA pavement and GA+SMA pavement)were determined.The data lists of two pavements were analyzed,and the calculation model was built.Four characteristic indices including primary energy demand(PED),global warming potential(GWP),acidification potential(AP)and respiratory inorganics(RI)were used to quantify the environmental impacts of two pavements.The results show that the environmental impact of the GA+SMA pavement is more than 1.3 times that of the EA+EA pavement.Moreover,the critical stage of energy-saving and emission-reduction of EA+EA pavement and GA+SMA pavement are the raw material production stage and asphalt mixture mixing stage,respectively.

Influence of longitudinal slope on the mechanical response of steel deck pavement

In order to study the influence of longitudinal slope on the mechanical response of steel deck pavement,a method of slope-modulus transformation was proposed for the mechanical analysis of the steel deck pavement based on the time-temperature equivalence principle.Considering the mechanical action on a slope,a finite element model of the deck pavement was established to determine the critical load position of tensileand shear stress of the steel deck pavement.Additionally,the influence of longitudinal slope on the mechanical response of the deck pavement under the conditions of uniform speed and emergency braking was analyzed.The results indicate that the maximum transverse tensile stress at the pavement surface and the maximum transverse shear stress at the pavement bottom are always greater than their longitudinal counterparts under uniform speed.Under emergency braking,however,the critical slope gradient of t e maximum transverse and longitudinal tensile stress at t e pavement surface is 6%.The maximum longitudinal shear stess at t e pavement bottom is always greater ta n t e maximum tansverse shear stess.This stidy is helpful in t e strctural design of large longitudinal slope steel deck pavements.

Fatigue Performance of Orthotropic Steel Decks in Super-Wide Steel Box Girder Considering Transverse Distribution of Vehicle Load

This study presents an investigation on the fatigue analysis of four types of details on orthotropic steel decks(OSDs)for a cable-stayed super-wide steel box girder bridge based on finite-element analysis(FEA)with vehicle transverse distribution model(VTDM).A high-fidelity 3D FE model verified by the static load test is established to satisfy the fatigue analysis accuracy.The stress behavior of super-wide steel box girders under the vehicle load at different lane locations is investigated.Then,considering the effect of VTDM,the fatigue life analysis of four typical details is performed using the Miner cumulative damage rule.The results show that the vehicle transverse location has a great influence on the stress behavior of details with sharp influence surface,and the stress ranges in the outermost lane are larger than those in other lanes,indicating that the details of OSD in the outermost lane are prone to fatigue.The fatigue life analysis indicates that the diaphragm cutout is more prone to fatigue than other details,which should be carefully treated in bridge maintenance.

Influence of local geometric parameters on fatigue performance of orthotropic steel deck

Fatigue has become critical issue for bridge with orthotropic steel deck.Number of stress cycle and equivalent stress amplitude were adopted as two investigated fatigue effects.As presented from fatigue monitoring comparison of two series-lined bridges,three local geometric parameters of steel box girder have significant influence on fatigue performance of two welded joints.They are thickness of longitudinal ribs(Tr),longitudinal spacing of transverse floor plate(Sc)and longitudinal truss(LT).Fatigue analytical models were created for parametric study of fatigue effects under wheel load.Consequently,three local parameters have exhibited insignificant influence on number of stress cycle.Compared with Tr and Sc,configuration of LT has brought about foremost effect on the equivalent stress amplitude.For equivalent stress amplitude of rib-to-deck and rib-to-rib welded joints,the influence regions of LT are respectively longitudinal strap and quadrate with the geometric length of 600 mm.Enough attention ought to be paid for local stiffen structure on fatigue performance of orthotropic steel deck in fatigue design and monitoring.

Research on the Evaluation System of Epoxy Asphalt Steel Deck Pavement Distress Condition

Epoxy asphalt concrete has been one of the mainstream technology of steel deck pavement in China. But little specification about evaluation system for its distress condition has been researched and maintenance was still unsystematic. The section weight coefficient of different distress is proposed by analyzing the applicability of the “Highway Performance Assessment Standards”. Indexes mainly including SDPCI PDR and PCR are presented to evaluate its distress condition. The evaluation system and maintenance plan decision tree were recommended which can assist scientific maintenance of epoxy asphalt steel deck pavement.

Developments of Gussasphalt System on Steel Deck Pavement

With the development of steel deck paving technology, the associated gussasphalt pavement system also develops maturely. In this paper, the structure characteristics and performance advantages are thoroughly explained by introducing the development course of gussasphalt. The material composition, properties and application effect of three typical pavement methods are analyzed. This paper is intended to give a relatively clear understanding regarding the specific features of gussasphalt, and provide some guidance to further expansion concerning gussasphalt pavement.

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.

Dynamic analysis of pavement on long span steel bridge decks

In order to analyze the dynamic response of pavement on long-span steel bridge decks under random dynamic loads, the irregularities of the pavement surface is simulated with the power spectrum density function, and the random load is calculated according to a vehicle vibration equation of vehicle model. The mechanical responses of three different cases are compared by using a transient dynamic analysis method, i. e., under random dynamic load, constant moving load and dead load respectively. The results indicate that the mid-span of two adjacent transversal diaphragms is the worst load position. The maximum vertical displacement and the maximum transversal tensile stress of the pavement are 1.33 times and 1.39 times as much as those when only considering the impact coefficients. This study not only provides a theoretical basis for the mixture design and structural design of pavement, but also puts forward higher demand on the construction and maintenance for steel deck pavement.

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.

Finite element simulation and optimal analysis of surfacing on steel orthotropic bridge deck

To analyze the stress state of steel orthotropic deck pavement and provide reference for the design of the overlay, the inner stress state and strain distribution of surfacing under the load of the deformation of the whole bridge structure and tyre load are analyzed by the finite element method of submodeling. Influence of surfacing modulus on the strain state of the overlay is analyzed for the purpose of the optimal design of the overlay structure. Analysis results show that the deformation of the whole bridge structure has no evident influence on the stress state of the overlay. The key factor of the overlay design is the transverse tensile strain in the overlay above the upper edge of web plate of rib. The stress state of the overlay is influenced evidently by the modulus of rigidity transform overlay. And the stress state of the overlay can be optimized and lowered by increasing the modulus and thickness of rigidity transform overlay, The fatigue test has been done to evaluate the fatigue performance and modulus of different deck pavement materials such as epoxy asphalt, SBS modified asphalt, rosphalt asphalt which can provide reference for deck pavement structure design.

Effect of hot/warm roll-forming process on microstructural evolution and mechanical properties of local thickened U-rib for orthotropic steel deck

To improve the strength-toughness of traditional U-rib（ TUR） and solve the problem of insufficient penetration between TUR and deckplate,a new local thickened U-rib（ LTUR） has been proposed to improve the fatigue resistance of the weld joint under the premise of not increasing thickness and strength of the TUR material. And a hot /warm roll-forming process（ RFP） adopting partially induction heating to 700- 1 000℃ was carried out to fabricate LTUR. The deformation behaviors in the forming process and microstructure of LTUR have been investigated.Mechanical properties and fracture mechanism of the LTUR after hot / warm RFP have been systematically discussed. Moreover,the results are compared with those obtained in cold RFP. Mechanical properties of the LTUR deformed above the critical transformation temperature（ A_（c3）） show high performance characteristics with marked fatigue resistance and superior toughness. Upon increasing the heating temperature from 700 to 900 ℃,the initial coarse ferrite-pearlite structure transform into equiaxed ultrafine ferrite（ 1- 3 μm） and precipitates such as（ Nb,Ti）（ C,N） are uniformly distributed in the matrix. The average dislocation density of the specimens after hot rollforming at heating temperature of 900 ℃ decreases dramatically compared with those of the specimens subjected to the cold RFP. Furthermore,a typical characteristic of ductile fracture mechanism and the high impact energy are more convinced that the specimens deformed above 900 ℃ have obtained an optimal combination of strength and toughness.

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.

Fatigue monitoring and analysis of orthotropic steel deck considering traffic volume and ambient temperature

Fatigue has gradually become a serious issue for orthotropic steel deck used for long-span bridges. Two fatigue effects, namely number of stress cycles and equivalent stress amplitude, were introduced as investigated parameters in this paper. Investigation was focused on their relationships with traffic volume and ambient temperature by using 7-months fatigue monitoring data of an actual bridge. A fatigue analytical model considering temperature-induced changes in material property of asphalt pavement was established for verifying these relationships. The analysis results revealed that the number of stress cycles and equivalent stress amplitude showed a linear correlation with the traffic volume and ambient temperature, respectively, and that the rib-to-deck welded joint was much more sensitive to the traffic volume and ambient temperature than the rib-to-rib welded joint. The applicability of the code-recommended model for fatigue vehicle loading was also discussed, which revealed that the deterministic vehicle loading model requires improvement to account for significant randomness of the actual traffic conditions.

Crack stop holes in steel bridge decks:Drilling method and effects

Force analysis using a compact tension model, as recommended by ASTM, was carried out on a crack stop hole. The stress before, and after, drilling the hole was compared in terms of stress concentration and stress gradient. The optimum drilling location and diameter were studied through analysis of different locations and diameters. By analyzing the effects of flank holes and an additional hole, drilling advice was proposed and fatigue testing of the cracks in a steel bridge deck with a crack stop hole was conducted. The results show that the stress at the crack tip with a crack stop hole decreased, and the major principal stress around the hole was distributed accordingly. The optimum position of the crack stop hole centre was where the centre of the crack stop hole was situated behind the crack and the hole edge coincided with the crack tip. Therefore, hole diameters larger than 8 mm, or those weakening the section by 10%, were suggested as the best diameters. In terms of multi-hole crack stopping, a flank hole was not recommended. The optimum horizontal position of flank holes was at a distance of 1/4 of a single hole diameter from, and in front of, the single hole. Besides, the experiment showed that crack stop hole could only prevent cracks from growing and had no influence on crack growth rate.

Research on the Anticorrosion Coating Under the Paved Layer for Highway Steel Box Bridge Deck

The corrosion of the anticorrosion coating and the defects of the asphalt concrete paved layer have been investigated on long-span steel box bridge decks. The anticorrosion coating lies in the midclle of two entirely different materials： a highway steel box bridge deck and a paved layer, which is used as anticorrosion and waterproof coating for the steel bridge deck. For our study, electrochemical corrosion and pull strength experiments have been selected for the investigation of the corrosion properties of inorganic zinc rich coating, epoxy zinc rich coating and arc sprayed zinc coating. The adhesive strength between the coatings and the panel, and the effect of the coating corrosion on the shear properties of the paved layers including cast asphalt, thermal asphalt mortar, epoxy asphalt and modified asphalt con- crete have been investigated. The results show that the adhesive strength between the coatings and the bridge panel is controlled by the method of pre-processing rust removal. Coating by sandblasting has stronger adhesive strength than coating by shot peening. The results also reveal that shear strength of the paved layer is affected by the corrosion product of zinc coating. The arc sprayed zinc coating has stronger shear strength than zinc rich coatings.

Effect of crack-closure treatment on fatigue durability of cracked rib-to-deck welded joints in steel bridge decks

To evaluate the effect of treating long cracks with the impact crack-closure retrofit(ICR)technique,three rib-to-deck welded specimens with a crack length of about 100 mm were tested.The metallographic structure,crack section,crack propagation life,and stress variation were analyzed.Finite-element models were also developed,and some optimal values of certain parameters are suggested according to the simulated results.The results show that new crack sources are generated on both sides of the ICR-treated region because of the stress distribution.The fatigue lives of cracked specimens with long cracks are significantly improved by the technique.Considerable residual compressive stress is also induced,and so it is suggested that the optimal impact angle to be applied to real bridges should be 70°.The stress at the weld root is distributed uniformly with the crack closed,and the optimal crack-closure depth is 4 mm.To evaluate the effect of different crack-closure depths in tests,it is recommended that a hot-spot stress method which is extrapolated by three reference points should be adopted.

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.

FSM-Monitoring of Fatigue Crack in Lattice-Stiffened Steel Plate Deck for Bridge Structures

For elucidating applicability of FSM （field signature method） on detection of fatigue crack initiation and monitoring of its propagation, a series of fatigue tests on steel plate decks （4,625 × 2,250 mm^2） stiffened in lattice-shape by longitudinal and lateral ribs was carried out by using a wheel load traveling test machine. The fatigue crack was observed by visual inspection at the weld toe between the deck plate and the longitudinal rib when the number of wheel load traveling repetition was around 210 thousands. The response of FSM-monitoring, which was the potential difference change between the sensing pins （pair）, became clear when the number of the repetition was around 190 thousands. The fatigue crack initiation could be detected by FSM considerably earlier than visual inspection. The fatigue crack propagation such as the direction could also be monitored even though the distance of the sensing pins was extended to 230 mm. On the other hand, the electric field analysis for the virgin situation without any cracks was carried out. The results of analysis indicated that 60 mm length of crack which could not be confirmed by visual inspection could be detected by FSM.