• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
• /
• v.46 no.1
• /
• pp.53-73
• /
• 2013

Prediction of prestressed concrete girder integral abutment bridge (IAB) load effect requires understanding of the inherent uncertainties as it relates to thermal loading, time-dependent effects, bridge material properties and soil properties. In addition, complex inelastic and hysteretic behavior must be considered over an extended, 75-year bridge life. The present study establishes IAB displacement and internal force statistics based on available material property and soil property statistical models and Monte Carlo simulations. Numerical models within the simulation were developed to evaluate the 75-year bridge displacements and internal forces based on 2D numerical models that were calibrated against four field monitored IABs. The considered input uncertainties include both resistance and load variables. Material variables are: (1) concrete elastic modulus; (2) backfill stiffness; and (3) lateral pile soil stiffness. Thermal, time dependent, and soil loading variables are: (1) superstructure temperature fluctuation; (2) superstructure concrete thermal expansion coefficient; (3) superstructure temperature gradient; (4) concrete creep and shrinkage; (5) bridge construction timeline; and (6) backfill pressure on backwall and abutment. IAB displacement and internal force statistics were established for: (1) bridge axial force; (2) bridge bending moment; (3) pile lateral force; (4) pile moment; (5) pile head/abutment displacement; (6) compressive stress at the top fiber at the mid-span of the exterior span; and (7) tensile stress at the bottom fiber at the mid-span of the exterior span. These established IAB displacement and internal force statistics provide a basis for future reliability-based design criteria development.

• Geomechanics and Engineering
• /
• v.14 no.6
• /
• pp.601-614
• /
• 2018

This study presents structural and parametric analyses on the behavior of an integrated and pile-bent abutment with mechanically stabilized earth wall (IPM) bridge. The IPM bridge is an integral abutment bridge (IAB) with partially protruded piles, which excludes earth pressure by means of a mechanically stabilized earth wall developed by the authors. The results of the analysis indicate that the IPM bridge, as any other IAB, is influenced to a large extent by temperature and time-dependent loads. When these loads are applied, the stress on a pile in the IPM bridge decreases as the displacement of the pile top increases, because the piles protrude from the ground surface and no soil reaction is generated on the protruded pile. Because the length of an IAB is restricted by the forces acting on its piles, the IPM bridge is an effective alternative to extend its length.

• Earthquakes and Structures
• /
• v.16 no.1
• /
• pp.11-28
• /
• 2019

This article investigates the response of Integral Abutment Bridges (IAB) when subjected to a sequence of seasonal thermal loading of the deck followed by ground seismic shaking in the longitudinal direction. Particular emphasis is placed on the effect of pre-seismic thermal Soil-Structure Interaction (SSI) on the seismic performance of the IAB, as well as on the ability of various backfills configurations, to minimize the unfavorable SSI effects. A series of two-dimensional numerical analyses were performed for this purpose, on a complete backfill-integral bridge-foundation soil system, subjected to seasonal cyclic thermal loading of the deck, followed by ground seismic shaking, employing ABAQUS. Various backfill configurations were investigated, including conventional dense cohesionless backfills, mechanically stabilized backfills and backfills isolated by means of compressive inclusions. The responses of the investigated configurations, in terms of backfill deformations and earth pressures, and bridge resultants and displacements, were compared with each other, as well as with relevant predictions from analyses, where the pre-seismic thermal SSI effects were neglected. The effects of pre-seismic thermal SSI on the seismic response of the coupled IAB-soil system were more evident in cases of conventional backfills, while they were almost negligible in case of IAB with mechanically stabilized backfills and isolated abutments. Along these lines, reasonable assumptions should be made in the seismic analysis of IAB with conventional sand backfills, to account for pre-seismic thermal SSI effects. On the contrary, the analysis of the SSI effects, caused by thermal and seismic loading, can be disaggregated in cases of IAB with isolated backfills.

• Journal of the Korean Society for Advanced Composite Structures
• /
• v.5 no.2
• /
• pp.21-26
• /
• 2014

This paper introduces general concepts of jointless bridges and field construction case of semi-integral bridge with psc girder integrating end-diaphragm. The expansion joints need to satisfy thermal and safety conditions of bridges. General bridges with joints have some problems, which are frequently replacement cycle time from mechanical damage or unstable movement, maintenance cost and more. To solve these problems, Integral Abutment Bridges(IAB) have been applied overseas in the 1930s. In Korea, first IAB was constructed in the early 2000s and precast IAB systems was invented and applied lately. Kyungshin overpass bridge in Incheon is the Semi-IAB constructed, the span length is 2@35=70m and the width is 13.9m. The original plan was to use general joint bridge but design field changed with expectations for advanced economic estimation and maintenance. This changed method of B.I.B bridge construction provided not only workability, construction cost but also safety improvement at the same time.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
• /
• v.50 no.3
• /
• pp.305-322
• /
• 2014

Reliability-based design limit states and associated partial load factors provide a consistent level of design safety across bridge types and members. However, limit states in the current AASHTO LRFD have not been developed explicitly for the situation encountered by integral abutment bridges (IABs) that have unique boundary conditions and loads with inherent uncertainties. Therefore, new reliability-based limit states for IABs considering the variability of the abutment support conditions and thermal loading must be developed to achieve IAB designs that achieve the same safety level as other bridge designs. Prestressed concrete girder bridges are considered in this study and are subjected to concrete time-dependent effects (creep and shrinkage), backfill pressure, temperature fluctuation and temperature gradient. Based on the previously established database for bridge loads and resistances, reliability analyses are performed. The IAB limit states proposed herein are intended to supplement current AASHTO LRFD limit states as specified in AASHTO LRFD Table 3.4.1-1.

• Earthquakes and Structures
• /
• v.20 no.2
• /
• pp.201-213
• /
• 2021

Contrast to the conventional jointed bridge design, integral abutment bridges (IABs) offer some marked advantages like reduced maintenance and enhanced service life of the structure due to elimination of joints in the deck and monolithic construction practices. However, the force transfer mechanism during seismic and thermal movements is a topic of interest owing to rigid connection between superstructure and substructure (piers and abutments). This study attempts to model an existing IAB by including the abutment backfill interaction and soil-foundation interaction effects using Winkler foundation assumption to determine its seismic response. Keeping in view the significance of abutment behavior in an IAB, the probability of damage to the abutment is evaluated using fragility function. Incremental Dynamic Analysis (IDA) approach is used in this regard, wherein, nonlinear time history analyses are conducted on the numerical model using a selected suite of ground motions with increasing intensities until damage to abutment. It is concluded from the fragility analysis results that for a MCE level earthquake in the location of integral bridge, the probability of complete damage to the abutment is minimal.

• Journal of the Korean GEO-environmental Society
• /
• v.18 no.5
• /
• pp.45-53
• /
• 2017

IPM bridge was developed to revise the problems of IAB bridge by Nam et al, (2016). This research conducted the p-y analysis to examine the parameter traits among the protruded length (H), penetrated length (L) of pile bent and soil conditions. From the results, the maximum bending moment happened in the top segment of pile bent, because it is integrated to the upper structure. Also, the maximum shear force was shown in the boundary of the sand and weathered soil zones according to the analysis soil conditions. The maximum member force and unbraced length is converged when the ratio (L/H) of protruded length (H) and penetrated length (L) is 1.0. The larger material force is happened, if the pile bent is penetrated shallowly compared to the protruded length. The definite inflection points were shown in the horizontal displacement curve from the p-y analysis, also the smaller penetrated length made the curve grade slower.

• Steel and Composite Structures
• /
• v.34 no.1
• /
• pp.35-51
• /
• 2020

Integral abutment bridges (IABs) are those bridges without expansion joints. A single row of steel H-piles (SHPs) is commonly used at the thin and stub abutments of IABs to form a flexible support system at the bridge ends to accommodate thermal-induced displacement of the bridge. Consequently, as the IAB expands and contracts due to temperature variations, the SHPs supporting the abutments are subjected to cyclic lateral (longitudinal) displacements, which may eventually lead to low-cycle fatigue (LCF) failure of the piles. In this paper, the potential of using finite element (FE) modeling techniques to estimate the LCF life of SHPs commonly used in IABs is investigated. For this purpose, first, experimental tests are conducted on several SHP specimens to determine their LCF life under thermal-induced cyclic flexural strains. In the experimental tests, the specimens are subjected to longitudinal displacements (or flexural strain cycles) with various amplitudes in the absence and presence of a typical axial load. Next, nonlinear FE models of the tested SHP specimens are developed using the computer program ANSYS to investigate the possibility of using such numerical models to predict the LCF life of SHPs commonly used in IABs. The comparison of FE analysis results with the experimental test results revealed that the FE analysis results are in close agreement with the experimental test results. Thus, FE modeling techniques similar to that used in this research study may be used to predict the LCF life of SHP commonly used in IABs.

• Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
• /
• v.20 no.4
• /
• pp.597-605
• /
• 2019

IPM bridge is an integral bridge that can be applied from span 30.0m up to 120.0m, the shape conditions of IPM bridge is also applicable to the rahmen bridge. In this study, to perform the structural analysis of Rahmen bridge and IPM Bridge, the researchers compared the distribution types such as load, moment, and displacement of those bridges. Structural analysis was carried out on four span models ranging from single span bridges to four spans of 120.0 m, based on span length of 30.0 m. Structural analysis was carried out on those bridge with span 30.0m up to 120.0m. The conclusions drawn from this study are as follows. 1) The bending moments were calculated to be large for the Rahmen bridge, and the horizontal displacements were estimated to be large for the IPM bridge. 2) Since the bending moments are derived by the span length rather than the extension of the bridge, the permissible bending moment for the span length should be considered in the design. 3) The pile bent of the IPM bridge did not exceed the plastic moment of the steel pipe pile at 120.0m span, but because the horizontal displacement in the shrinkage direction is close to 25mm, the design considerations are needed. 4) In the actual design, it is important to ensure stability against member forces, so review of the negative moment is most important.

• Steel and Composite Structures
• /
• v.26 no.2
• /
• pp.227-239
• /
• 2018

Integral abutment bridges (IABs) have no joint across the length of bridge and are therefore also known as jointless bridges. IABs have many advantages, such as structural integrity, efficiency, and stability. More importantly, IABs have proven to be have both low maintenance and construction costs. However, due to the restraints at both ends of the girder due to the absence of a gap (joint), special design considerations are required. For example, while replacing the deck slabs to extend the service life of the IAB, the buckling strength of the steel girder without a deck slab could be much smaller than the case with deck slab in place. With no deck slab, the addition of thermal expansion in the steel girders generates passive earth pressure from the abutment and if the applied axial force is greater than the buckling strength of the steel girders, buckling failure can occur. In this study, numerical simulations were performed to estimate the buckling strength of typical steel girders in IABs. The effects of girder length, the width of flange and thickness of flange, imperfection due to fabrication and construction errors on the buckling strengths of multiple and single girders in IABs are studied. The effect of girder spacing, span length ratio (for a three span girder) and self-weight effects on the buckling strength are also studied. For estimation of the reaction force of the abutment generated by the passive earth pressure of the soil, BA 42/96 (2003), PennDOT DM4 (2015) and the LTI proposed equations (2009) were used and the results obtained are compared with the buckling strength of the steel girders. Using the selected design equations and the results obtained from the numerical analysis, equations for preventing the buckling failure of steel girders during deck replacement for maintenance are presented.