Strengthening of Interior Slab–Column Connections Using a Combination of FRP Sheets and Steel Bolts

The results of an experimental investigation undertaken to evaluate a new technique for strengthening interior slab–column connection in combined flexural and shear modes are presented. The technique consists of using a combination of shear bolts inserted into holes and prestressed against the concrete surface for improving the punching shear capacity, and external [fiber-reinforced polymer (FRP)] reinforcement bonded to the tension face of the slabs in two perpendicular directions for increasing the flexural strength of the slabs. Square slab specimens of 670×670?mm dimensions were tested and the main test variables included the ratio of steel reinforcement (1.0 and 1.5%), span–depth ratio or thickness (55 and 75?mm) of the slabs, area, and configuration of steel bolts, and area of FRP reinforcement. It was found that the use of shear bolts alone improves the punching shear strength and increases the ductility of failure by changing the failure mode from punching to flexural. However, the use of a combination of shear bolts and a moderate amount of FRP reinforcement increased the flexural strength and resulted in a substantial improvement of the punching shear capacity of the slabs. The corresponding increases attained levels between 34 and 77%. A design approach is presented for evaluating the ultimate capacity of the slab–column connections when strengthened using the proposed strengthening technique. Strength results predicted by the proposed approach were in good agreement with the experimental results.     

Seismic Performance Assessment of Damage-Controlled FRP-Retrofitted RC Bridge Columns Using Residual Deformations

Despite the improved performance of fiber-reinforced plastic (FRP)-retrofitted bridges, residual deformations in the event of an earthquake are inevitable. Little consideration is currently given to these deformations when assessing seismic performance. Moreover, important structures are currently required not only to have high strength and high ductility but also to be usable and repairable after high intensity earthquakes. This paper presents a definition of an FRP-RC damage-controllable structure. An intensive study of 109 bridge columns, extracted from recent research literature on the inelastic performance of FRP retrofitted columns with lap-splice deficiencies, flexural deficiencies, or shear deficiencies, is used to evaluate the recoverability of such retrofitted columns. The residual deformation, as a seismic performance measure, is used to evaluate the performance of 39 FRP-retrofitted RC columns from the available database. Based on this evaluation, a requirement for the recoverable and irrecoverable states of FRP-RC bridges is specified. Finally, the Seismic Design Specifications of Highway Bridges for RC piers is adapted to predict the residual deformations of FRP-RC columns.     

Assessment of Design Formulas for In-Plane FRP Strengthening of Masonry Walls

Masonry structures have demonstrated their seismic vulnerability during recent world seismic events. This paper investigates in-plane seismic performance of unreinforced masonry (URM) walls before and after they are retrofit using fiber-reinforced polymer (FRP) materials. An assessment of available design formulas for evaluating both the in-plane performance of URM walls and the contribution of FRP strengthening systems was performed. Walls with two configurations of the FRP reinforcement have been analyzed: one based on FRP strips installed parallel to the mortar joints, the other characterized by FRP strips arranged along the diagonals of the wall. Based on shear–compression tests carried out on FRP-strengthened masonry walls available in the literature, a comparison between theoretical and experimental data is performed. A discussion about the FRP strains at failure of the walls is provided and values of effective FRP strains to be used for design purposes are proposed.     

Evaluation of the Effectiveness of Strengthening Intervention by CFRP on MRWA Bridge No. 3014

Main Roads of Western Australia has a continuing program of bridge upgrading, to refurbish and strengthen bridges to allow for increasing vehicle traffic and increasing axle loads. A 40-year-old, four-span reinforced concrete slab bridge was retrofitted with application of CFRP laminate strips on the top of the deck over the piers, as well as on the deck soffit in the midspan regions, to reduce high moments in both hogging and sagging. The dynamic assessment of the bridge before and after strengthening works provided the opportunity to evaluate the effectiveness of the strengthening intervention through dynamic measurements. A performance evaluation of the repaired structure was carried out through traffic loading application on the updated numerical models of the bridge, before and after retrofit. As a main observation, the addition of CFRP laminate strips led to a significant increase of the structural capacity in flexure. The paper discusses the results obtained from the dynamic-based assessment in terms of effectiveness of the strengthening intervention as well as of efficiency in using such a methodology to evaluate the capacity increase of the retrofitted bridge.     

Behavior, Analysis, and Design of an Instrumented Link Slab Bridge

Presented in this paper are the results of a research project on the monitoring and assessment of the first link slab jointless bridge in the state of North Carolina. The structure was instrumented with a remote data acquisition system and monitored for over a year. In addition, a controlled load test was conducted in an effort to determine the demand on the link slab under known loads. A procedure for the limit-states design of a link slab system is also presented. Results indicate that while the crack size in the link slab exceeded the design level, the link slab fulfilled its function. Furthermore, the rotational demand from the large controlled loads as well as the traffic loads was similar in magnitude to the thermal induced rotations due to the difference in temperature between the top and bottom of the bridge.     

Combined Experimental-Operational Modal Testing of Footbridges

In combined vibration testing, an artificial, measured force is used in operational conditions. This requires the identification of a system model that takes both the measured and the operational excitation into account. Advantages with respect to the classical operational modal analysis approach are the possibility of obtaining mass-normalized mode shapes and the increase of the excitation level and its frequency content. An advantage with respect to the classical experimental modal analysis approach, where the ambient excitation is not modeled, but considered as disturbing noise, is the possibility of using excitation levels that are of the same amplitude, or even smaller, than the ambient excitation levels. In this paper, combined modal testing of footbridges is explored using two case studies: a steel arch footbridge with spans of 75.2 m and 30.3 m and a concrete stress-ribbon footbridge with spans of 30 m and 28 m. The comparison of the modal parameters (eigenfrequencies, damping ratios, mode shapes, and modal scaling factors) obtained from a combined vibration test with the ones obtained from other modal tests and from a finite-element model, demonstrates the feasibility of using small and practical excitation devices for the modal testing of footbridges.     

Retrofit of a Three-Span Slab Bridge with Fiber Reinforced Polymer Systems—Testing and Rating

A 45-year old, three-span reinforced concrete slab bridge with insufficient capacity was retrofitted with 76.2- and 127-mm wide bonded carbon fiber-reinforced polymer (FRP) plates, 102-mm wide bonded carbon FRP plates with mechanical anchors at the ends, and bonded carbon FRP fabrics. The use of four systems in one bridge provided a unique opportunity to evaluate field installation issues and to examine the long-term performance of each system under identical traffic and environmental conditions. Using controlled truckload tests, the response of the bridge before retrofitting, shortly after retrofitting, and after one year of service was measured. The stiffness of the FRP systems was small in comparison to the stiffness of the bridge deck, and accordingly the measured deflections did not change noticeably after retrofitting. The measured strains suggest participation of the FRP systems, and more importantly, the strength of the retrofitted bridge was increased. A detailed 3D finite-element model of the original and retrofitted bridge was developed and calibrated based on the measured deflections. The model was used to predict more accurately the demands for computing the rating factors. The addition of FRP plates and fabrics led to a 22% increase in the rating factor and corresponding load limits. During a one-year period, traffic loading and environmental exposure did not apparently affect the performance of the FRP systems. The increased capacity and acceptable performance of the FRP systems enabled the engineers to remove the load limits in order to resume normal traffic. Future tests are necessary to monitor the long-term behavior of the FRP systems.     

Effect on Superstructure Stress of Replacing a Composite RC Bridge Deck with a GFRP Deck

Glass fiber-reinforced polymer (GFRP) composite bridge decks behave differently than comparable reinforced concrete (RC) decks. GFRP decks exhibit reduced composite behavior (when designed to behave in a composite manner) and transverse distribution of forces. Both of these effects are shown to counteract the beneficial effects of a lighter deck structure and result in increased internal stresses in the supporting girders. The objective of this paper is to demonstrate through an illustrative example the implications of RC-to-GFRP deck replacement on superstructure stresses. It is also shown that, regardless of superstructure stresses, substructure forces will be uniformly reduced due to the lighter resulting superstructure.     

Experimental Characterization and Optimization of Hybrid FRP/RC Bridge Superstructure System

An experimental investigation was performed to assess the performance of a hybrid fiber-reinforced polymer/reinforced concrete bridge system. The full-scale laboratory specimen was representative of an 813?mm (32?in.) wide strip of a completed bridge in San Patricio County, Tex. The specimen was first subjected to static loading prior to casting the reinforced concrete deck. Displacement, strain, and acoustic emission were recorded. After completion of the nondestructive static loading a reinforced concrete deck was cast in the laboratory to represent one unit of the completed bridge. Load was statically applied with several increased load cycles until failure occurred at a load level exceeding 18 times the calculated design load. The results of the static testing indicated that the original design of the hybrid bridge was very conservative. An optimized design of the hybrid bridge was then derived. The static load testing program and the resulting optimized design are described.     

Distributed Strain Measurement in Steel Bridge with Fiber Optic Sensors: Validation through Diagnostic Load Test

Fiber optic sensing technologies are emerging as valid alternatives for the health monitoring of civil structures. Distributed sensors based on Brillouin scattering add the unique capability of measuring strain and temperature profiles along optical fibers. Measurement is performed by establishing the correlation between fiber strain and temperature, and the frequency shift of the Brillouin backscattered light induced by a monochromatic light pulse. The technology holds potential for use on large structures and integrated transportation infrastructure. Its effectiveness has been assessed through scaled laboratory experiments, whereas field validation is limited to very few demonstration projects conducted to date. This paper presents a pilot application of Brillouin optical time domain reflectometry to measure strain profiles along the steel girders of a continuous slab-on-girder bridge subjected to diagnostic load testing. One of the exterior continuous girders required heat-straightening after falling during construction due to wind. The significance of applying a distributed measurement technique lies in the potential to assess the global girder response, which would be impractical and uneconomical using discrete measurement techniques. A 1.16?km long sensing circuit was installed onto the web of four girders. The circuit comprises bare optical fiber sensors, and a novel adhesively bonded fiberglass tape with embedded sensing fibers for strain measurement and thermal compensation. The strain profiles were first converted into deflection profiles and validated against discrete deflection measurements performed with a high-precision total station system. Structural assessment based on comparison of the strain profiles with the results of three-dimensional finite-element analysis of the bridge superstructure, and with specification mandated criteria, indicated that the response of the girder under investigation was within the design limits, and did not pose serviceability concerns. Factors that may affect measurement accuracy are finally discussed on the basis of the experimental and numerical results.     

Fatigue of Diagonally Cracked RC Girders Repaired with CFRP

Fiber-reinforced polymers (FRP) are becoming more widely used for repair and strengthening of conventionally reinforced concrete (RC) bridge members. Once repaired, the member may be exposed to millions of load cycles during its service life. The anticipated life of FRP repairs for shear strengthening of bridge members under repeated service loads is uncertain. Field and laboratory tests of FRP-repaired RC deck girders were performed to evaluate high-cycle fatigue behavior. An in-service 1950s vintage RC deck-girder bridge repaired with externally bonded carbon fiber laminates for shear strengthening was inspected and instrumented, and FRP strain data were collected under ambient traffic conditions. In addition, three full-size girder specimens repaired with bonded carbon fiber laminate for shear strengthening were tested in the laboratory under repeated loads and compared with two unfatigued specimens. Results indicated relatively small in situ FRP strains, laboratory fatigue loading produced localized debonding along the FRP termination locations at the stem-deck interface, and the fatigue loading did not significantly alter the ultimate shear capacity of the specimens.     

Nonlinear Finite Element Analysis of a FRP-Strengthened Reinforced Concrete Bridge

Three-dimensional nonlinear finite element (FE) models are developed to examine the structural behavior of the Horsetail Creek Bridge strengthened by fiber-reinforced polymers (FRPs). A sensitivity study is performed varying bridge geometry, precracking load, strength of concrete, and stiffness of the soil foundation to establish a FE model that best represents the actual bridge. Truck loadings are applied to the FE bridge model at different locations, as in an actual bridge test. Comparisons between FE model predictions and field data are made in terms of strains in the beams for various truck load locations. It is found that all the parameters examined can potentially influence the bridge response and are needed for selection of the optimal model which predicts the magnitudes and trends in the strains accurately. Then, using the optimal model, performance evaluation of the bridge based on scaled truck and mass-proportional loadings is conducted. Each loading type is gradually increased until failure occurs. Structural responses are compared for strengthened and unstrengthened bridge models to evaluate the FRP retrofit. The models predict a significant improvement in structural performance due to the FRP retrofit.     

Strengthening of Openings in One-Way Reinforced-Concrete Slabs Using Carbon Fiber-Reinforced Polymer Systems

Six prototype one-way RC slabs with openings were strengthened with externally bonded carbon fiber-reinforced polymer (CFRP) systems and subjected to concentrated line loads. The results were compared to those of a solid slab without opening and a slab with an unstrengthened opening. The CFRP system proved to be effective in enhancing the load-carrying capacity and stiffness of RC slabs with an opening, provided that premature failure due to CFRP debonding is excluded. An analytical model based on the modified yield line method is presented, in which four failure modes comprising one orthogonal and three nonorthogonal yield line patterns were considered. The analytical model predicts the load carrying capacity of the strengthened slabs very well. The opening width has a more prominent effect on the load-carrying capacity than does the opening length.     

Stiffness Analysis of Fiber-Reinforced Rectangular Seismic Isolators

The reinforcing elements of multilayer elastomeric isolation bearings, which are normally steel plates, are replaced by a fiber reinforcement. The fiber-reinforced isolator is significantly lighter and could lead to a much less labor-intensive manufacturing process. In contrast to the steel reinforcement, which is assumed to be rigid, the fiber reinforcement is flexible in extension. This paper presents theoretical approaches for analyzing the compressive stiffness and bending stiffness of fiber-reinforced rectangular isolators. The influence of fiber flexibility on the stiffness of isolators is studied. In addition to theoretical stiffness solutions which are expressed in series form, simplified stiffness formulas based on the solutions of an infinitely long strip pad are also presented.     

Shear Strengthening of Interior Slab–Column Connections Using Carbon Fiber-Reinforced Polymer Sheets

This paper presents the results of an experimental investigation undertaken to evaluate the punching shear capacity of interior slab–column connections, strengthened using flexible carbon fiber-reinforced polymer (CFRP) sheets. Sixteen square (670×670?mm) slab–column connections with different slab thicknesses (55 and 75 mm) and reinforcement ratios (1 and 1.5%) were tested. Twelve specimens were strengthened using CFRP sheets and the remaining four specimens were kept as controls. Without strengthening, all specimens were designed to experience punching shear failure. The CFRP sheets were bonded to the tension face of the specimens in two perpendicular directions parallel to the internal ordinary steel reinforcement. The test results clearly demonstrate that using CFRP leads to significant improvements in the flexural stiffness, flexural strength, and shear capacity of beam–column connections. Depending on the content of the ordinary reinforcement, thickness of the slab, and area of CFRP sheet, the flexural strength increased between 26 and 73% and the shear capacity increased between 17 and 45%. The measured stress in the CFRP sheets at nominal strength varied between 22 and 69% of the ultimate tensile strength of the fibers. Comparison with available prediction equations showed that the punching shear capacity can be predicted with reasonable accuracy if the contribution of CFRP reinforcement to the increase in flexural strength is accounted for. On the other hand, the code design expressions were conservative in predicting the capacity observed in the tests.     

Development of FRP Short-Span Deployable Bridge—Experimental Results

For military and civilian applications, there exists a need for lightweight, inexpensive, short-span bridges that can be easily transported and erected with minimal equipment. Owing to its favorable properties, fiber-reinforced polymer (FRP) has been shown to be feasible for the construction of such bridges. Investigations into the behavior of a short-span bridge structural concept, adapted to the material properties of commercially available glass FRP (GFRP) pultruded products, are presented. A 4.8-m span prototype was built from GFRP sections, bonded throughout to form a tapered box beam, with a width of 1.2?m and a height at midspan of approximately 0.5?m. The box beam represents a single trackway of a double-trackway bridge, whose trackways could be connected by light structural elements. The quasi-static and dynamic behavior of the prototype box beam was investigated in ambient laboratory and field conditions to assess the design and construction techniques used, with a view to designing a full-scale 10-m GFRP bridge. Laboratory testing of the prototype box beam used single and pairs of patch loads to simulate wheel loading. These tests confirmed that the box beam had sufficient stiffness and strength to function effectively as a single trackway of a small span bridge. Field testing of the structure was undertaken using a Bison vehicle (13,000?kg), driven at varying speeds over the structure to establish its response to realistic vehicle loads and the effects of their movement across the span.     

Dynamic Characteristics and Effective Stiffness Properties of Honeycomb Composite Sandwich Structures for Highway Bridge Applications

In this paper, a combined analytical and experimental study of dynamic characteristics of honeycomb composite sandwich structures in bridge systems is presented, and a relatively simple and reliable dynamic experimental procedure to estimate the beam bending and transverse shear stiffness is proposed. This procedure is especially practicable for estimating the beam transverse shear stiffness, which is primarily contributed by the core and is usually difficult to measure. The composite sandwich beams are made of E-glass fiber and polyester resins, and the core consists of the corrugated cells in a sinusoidal configuration. Based on the modeling of equivalent properties for the face laminates and core elements, analytical predictions of effective flexural and transverse shear stiffness properties of sandwich beams along the longitudinal and transverse to the sinusoidal core wave directions are first obtained. Using piezoelectric sensors, the dynamic response data are collected, and the dynamic characteristics of the sandwich structures are analyzed, from which the flexural and transverse shear stiffness properties are reduced. The experimental stiffness results are then compared to the analytical stiffness properties, and relatively good correlations are obtained. The proposed dynamic tests using piezoelectric sensors can be used effectively to evaluate the dynamic characteristics and stiffness properties of large sandwich structures suitable for highway bridge applications.     

Overview of a Modal-Based Condition Assessment Procedure

Condition assessment is a term that is used to describe the process of characterizing the physical condition of constructed systems. This paper summarizes a condition assessment (CA) procedure based on a complete system of field-testing, finite element (FE) modeling, and load rating. Experimental techniques, including both modal testing and truckload testing, are used to collect measurements of the constructed systems. The basic mechanism and procedure of the FE modeling and calibration are presented. Different physical parameters of FE models are adjusted during the calibration process using both static and dynamic responses as criteria to achieve convergence between experimental measurements and analytical results using carefully developed objective functions. Finally, a bridge load rating is completed on the basis of the calibrated model. These developments are described and illustrated using a representative bridge as an example.