• Computers and Concrete
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• v.10 no.5
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• pp.469-487
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• 2012

This paper presents a study on the behaviour of the joints of segmental concrete bridges with external prestressing, focusing on the structural response of dry non-epoxied joints with shear keys. A Finite Element joint model to study such structures is validated modelling eight concrete panel tests. The most important feature of this model is that it has been validated with experimental tests on concrete panels which were specifically designed to fail in shear. Interface elements are used to reproduce the non linear behaviour of the joint and parameters deduced from the tests are used to define the constitutive law of these elements. This joint model is of great importance because it will permit the development of a structural model that faithfully reproduces the behaviour of these structures under combined flexure and shear and the study of its global behaviour after the opening of the joints. Interesting conclusions about the behaviour of the dry joints, about the contribution of the different mechanisms transferring shear (friction and cohesion) and about the shear stress distribution in the joint have been reached.

• Computers and Concrete
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• v.26 no.2
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• pp.161-173
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• 2020

Shear keys in precast concrete segmental bridges (PCSBs) are usually match-casting which is very labour intensive. In this research, an innovative match-casting-free construction was proposed by leaving small gap between the convex and the concave castellated shear keys in the joints of PCSBs. Specimen experiment, shear strength analysis and numerical simulation were conducted, investigating the loading performance of this new type of dry joints, the gap dry joints. Compared with match-casting joint specimens, it has been found from experiment that shear capacity of gap joint specimens significantly decreased ranging from 17.75% to 42.43% due to only partially constrained and contacted in case of gap dry joints. Through numerical simulation, the effects of bottom contacting location, the heights of the gap and the shear key base were analyzed to investigate strength reduction and methods to enhance shear capacity of gap joint specimens. Numerical results proved that shear capacity of gap dry joints under full contact condition was higher than that under partial contact. In addition, left contact destroyed the integrity of shear keys, resulting in significant strength reduction. Larger shear key base remarkably increased shear capacity of the gap joint. Experimental tests indicated that AASHTO provision underestimated shear capacity of the match-casting dry joint specimens, while the numerical results for the gap dry joint showed that AASHTO provision underestimated shear capacity of full contact specimens, but overestimated that of left contact specimens.