System behaviour in prestressed concrete T-beam bridges
S.W.H. Ensink (TU Delft - Civil Engineering & Geosciences)
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Abstract
About 70 prestressed concrete T-beam bridges, constructed in the Netherlands between 1953–1977, are still in use today with many located in the main highway network. This type of bridge consists of prefabricated and prestressed T-shaped beams, with an integrated deck slab, cross-beams and transverse prestressing. Even if these bridges are well maintained, two important factors demand the current need for assessment: (1) increased traffic loading and (2) potential lack of shear resistance. Using traditional assessment methods it was concluded that about 50% of these bridges do not fulfil the current design code requirements. However, this does not automatically imply that these bridges are structurally unsafe, since some potentially significant additional load-transfer mechanisms are not taken into account in a traditional assessment. This is strengthened by the observation that, in general, these bridges do not show any signs of distress....
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