Retrofit fatigue cracked diaphragm cutouts using improved geometry in orthotropic steel decks

Diaphragm cutouts are set to release redundant constraints and hence reduce weld fatigue at the connection of U-ribs to diaphragms in orthotropic steel decks. However, most fatigue cracks which originate from the edge of cutouts are in fact detected in the diaphragms. Therefore, a retrofit technology on cracked cutouts at the diaphragm is...

A novel asynchronous-pouring-construction technology for prestressed concrete box girder bridges with corrugated steel webs

Owing to the superior mechanical performance and material efficiency, the combination of prestressed concrete (PC) slabs and corrugated steel webs (CSW) as PC girder with CSWs (PCGCSW) is extensively applied to railway and highway bridges. To overcome the shortcomings of traditional balanced cantilever construction (TBCC) of PCGCSW, reduce...

The evolution of residual stress in rib-diaphragm joints of orthotropic steel decks subjected to thermal cutting and welding

Residual stresses change the stress ratio of fluctuating stresses, hence seriously affect the fatigue life of orthotropic steel decks (OSDs) under traffic loading. Residual stress distributions near the U rib-diaphragm joints are very complicated and need to be investigated further. In this paper, a systematic method has been proposed for...

The Effects of Fiber Length and Volume on Material Properties and Crack Resistance of Basalt Fiber Reinforced Concrete (BFRC)

Basalt fiber reinforced concrete (BFRC) has been widely utilized in various constructions such as buildings, large industrial floors, and highways, due to its excellent physical and mechanical properties, as well as low production cost. In order to address the influence of basic parameters such as fiber volume fraction (0.05∼0.40%), fiber length...

Shear capacity of a novel joint between corrugated steel web and concrete lower slab

Composite girder with corrugated steel web is one of the promising concrete-steel hybrid structures with superior properties and cost effectiveness widely applied in highway and railway bridges. The connection between concrete slabs and corrugated steel web is an important part of such composite structure. In order to improve pouring quality...