The life span of surfacings for orthotropic steel deck bridges is often limited.
There is no universally accepted method for the design of surfacings. However,
some theories to estimate the stresses/strains in the different layers are available.
These theories are almost all base
...
The life span of surfacings for orthotropic steel deck bridges is often limited.
There is no universally accepted method for the design of surfacings. However,
some theories to estimate the stresses/strains in the different layers are available.
These theories are almost all based on one or both of the following assumptions:
1. Linear strain gradient in the asphalt and the steel.
2. The gradient of strain through the depth of the asphalt and steel are equal.
Measurements disagree with both assumptions. More realistic theories are thus
required to enable the design of steel deck surfacings. In this paper the
development of such models are discussed. These models agree with the
measurements and as such will help to design surfacing with a longer life span.@en
