Behaviour of H-piles supporting an integral abutment bridge

2014 ◽  
Vol 51 (7) ◽  
pp. 713-734 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shelley A. Huntley ◽  
Arun J. Valsangkar

Integral abutment bridges accommodate thermal superstructure movements through flexible foundations rather than expansion joints. While these structures are a common alternative to conventional design, the literature on measured field stresses in piles supporting integral abutments appears to be quite limited. Therefore, field data from strain gauges installed on the abutment foundation piles of a 76 m long; two-span integral abutment bridge are the focus of this paper. Axial load, weak- and strong-axis bending moments of the foundation piles, as well as abutment movement and backfill response, are presented and discussed. Results indicate that the abutment foundation piles are bending in double curvature about the weak axis, as a result of thermal bridge movements, and bending also about the strong axis due to tilting of the abutments. A simple subgrade modulus approach is used to show its applicability in predicting behaviour under lateral loading. In the past, much emphasis has been placed on the lateral displacements of piles and less on variations of axial load. In this paper, a new hypothesis, which offers insight into the mechanisms behind the observed thermal variations in axial load, is proposed and assessed. The data from the field monitoring are also compared with the limited data reported in the literature.

2014 ◽  
Vol 699 ◽  
pp. 388-394 ◽  
Author(s):  
Thevaneyan K. David ◽  
John P. Forth

Temperature effects are significant to the sustainability of integral abutment bridges with the elimination of expansion joints. The thermally induced lateral movement of the structural components is opposed by the backfill soil supporting the components of integral abutment bridges. A 2D finite element analysis was performed on a typical integral abutment bridge using OASYS SAFE to investigate the complex interactions that exist between the pile supporting stub-type integral abutment and the backfill soil. The primary objective of this paper is to compare the effect of various soil types on the displacement of the piles when subjected to lateral loading and secondly to identify the significance of cyclic lateral load on the behaviour of the piles for various foundation soil types. The results suggest similar effect on the integral pile displacements for investigated soil types, especially for non-cyclic lateral loading.


2016 ◽  
Vol 846 ◽  
pp. 421-427
Author(s):  
Ahmed S. Alqarawi ◽  
Chin J. Leo ◽  
D.S. Liyanapathirana ◽  
Sanka Ekanayake

Integral Abutment Bridges are widely utilized around the world because they offer a design alternative minimizing the potential construction and maintenance difficulties associated with expansion joints in other types of bridges. However, integral bridge systems also have certain issues that result from the absence of expansion joints. This is because temperature changes induce cycles of elongations and shortenings in the bridge deck which lead to rotational movements in bridge abutments against and away from the retained soil. This phenomenon may develop long term problems in terms of settlement of the backfill at the bridge approach and escalation in the lateral earth pressure acting on the bridge abutments. This paper aims to investigate the approach settlement and lateral earth pressure development in integral bridges abutments using finite element modelling of a concrete bridge abutment and the adjoining soil using the ABAQUS software. The paper presents a parametric study of the effects imposed by abutment movements on the retained soil. This study also investigates the effectiveness of using expanded polystyrene (EPS) geofoam inclusions as a remedial measure to minimize the approach settlement and lateral stress ratcheting effects in Integral Abutment Bridges.


2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (11) ◽  
pp. 5031
Author(s):  
Wooseok Kim ◽  
Jeffrey A. Laman ◽  
Farzin Zareian ◽  
Geunhyung Min ◽  
Do Hyung Lee

Although integral abutment bridges (IABs) have become a preferred construction choice for short- to medium-length bridges, they still have unclear bridge design guidelines. As IABs are supported by nonlinear boundaries, bridge geometric parameters strongly affect IAB behavior and complicate predicting the bridge response for design and assessment purposes. This study demonstrates the effect of four dominant parameters: (1) girder material, (2) bridge length, (3) backfill height, and (4) construction joint below girder seats on the response of IABs to the rise and fall of AASHTO extreme temperature with time-dependent effects in concrete materials. The effect of factors influencing bridge response, such as (1) bridge construction timeline, (2) concrete thermal expansion coefficient, (3) backfill stiffness, and (4) pile-soil stiffness, are assumed to be constant. To compare girder material and bridge geometry influence, the study evaluates four critical superstructure and substructure response parameters: (1) girder axial force, (2) girder bending moment, (3) pile moment, and (4) pile head displacement. All IAB bridge response values were strongly related to the four considered parameters, while they were not always linearly proportional. Prestressed concrete (PSC) bridge response did not differ significantly from the steel bridge response. Forces and moments in the superstructure and the substructure induced by thermal movements and time-dependent loads were not negligible and should be considered in the design process.


2000 ◽  
Vol 1696 (1) ◽  
pp. 109-121 ◽  
Author(s):  
Iqbal Husain ◽  
Dino Bagnariol

It is well recognized that leaking expansion joints at the ends of bridge decks have led to the premature deterioration of bridge components. The elimination of these maintenance-prone joints not only yields immediate economic benefits but also improves the long-term durability of bridges. In Ontario, Canada, “jointless” bridges have been used for many years. Recently, the use of two main types of these bridges has increased dramatically. The first type is an “integral abutment” bridge that comprises an integral deck and abutment system supported on flexible piles. The approach slabs are also continuous with the deck slab. The flexible foundation allows the anticipated deck movements to take place at the end of the approach slab. Control joint details have been developed to allow movements at this location. The second type is a “semi-integral abutment” bridge that also allows expansion joints to be eliminated from the end of the bridge deck. The approach slabs are continuous with the deck slab, and the abutments are supported on rigid foundations (spread footings). The superstructure is not continuous with the abutments, and conventional bearings are used to allow horizontal movements between the deck and the abutments. A control joint is provided at the end of the approach slab that is detailed to slide in between the wing walls. Some of the design methods and construction details that are used in Ontario for integral and semi-integral abutment bridges are summarized. A review of the actual performance of existing bridges is also presented.


2013 ◽  
Vol 18 (10) ◽  
pp. 1105-1117 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jafar Razmi ◽  
Leila Ladani ◽  
M. Sherif Aggour

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