Bulb-T Girder Bridge Barrier Effect on Live Load Distribution

• Other Authors: Stricker, Tal (authoraut)
• Format: Others
• Language: English; English
• Published: Florida State University
• Subjects: Civil engineering; Environmental engineering
• Online Access: http://purl.flvc.org/fsu/fd/FSU_migr_etd-1542

Bulb-T girder bridges are composed of precast, prestressed concrete beams with a reinforced concrete slab. Typically, the slab extends transversely beyond the exterior beam, and there is a traffic barrier on the edge. The bridges are designed for dead and live loads and prestressing effects. For the live loads, the transverse distribution of moment and shear load effects to interior and exterior girders is determined by using equations in the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) Load and Resistance Factor Design (LRFD) Bridge Design Specifications. These equations give the designer a factor, which is then multiplied by the moment or shear load effect determined by a line analysis. The equations assume that barriers are not present. The Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) Structures Research Lab has made field measurements on a Bulb-T bridge, both before and after the barriers were placed, due to a truck loaded with blocks. For this project, this data was analyzed to determine the barrier's effect on the live load distribution. The results of this project may be used to determine if load ratings can be improved by consideration of the barrier effect, which can be done as a Posting Avoidance (Exception) technique. === A Thesis Submitted to the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Master of Science. === Summer Semester, 2008. === May 20, 2008. === Live load distribution, Bridge, Bulb-t girder, Load test, Load distribution factor === Includes bibliographical references. === Michelle Rambo-Roddenberry, Professor Directing Thesis; Lisa Spainhour, Committee Member; Kamal Tawfiq, Committee Member.