Numerical study of improved methods of in-field capacity assessment of reinforced concrete bridges

Bridges, particularly short-span highway bridges, are basic elements of nearly all contemporary transportation networks. For reinforced concrete structures, complete information regarding the number, size, and orientation of steel reinforcement is necessary in order to make a complete strength assessment. Since reinforcement is not visible externally, making an accurate assessment without design drawings is extremely difficult. Improving the accuracy of capacity assessments of reinforced concrete bridges when information regarding the design and construction of the bridge is limited or not available would be useful in a number of situations, including military operations and disaster response. The objective of this project is to develop more reliable means of in-field capacity assessment of reinforced concrete bridges by making improved estimates of the level of longitudinal and shear reinforcement. The proposed assessment procedure is based on comparing measured structural response under controlled loading conditions to predicted structural response from analysis. This report presents results from a preliminary sensitivity study of the analytically predicted response of simply supported reinforced concrete T-beam girders with varying levels of longitudinal and shear reinforcement.

Name thesis:degree_name

M.S.

Level thesis:degree_level

Thesis

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Civil Engineering

Grantor

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Year dc:date

2010

Author dc:creator

• Gries, Matthew B.

Contributors dc:contributor

• Kuchma, Daniel A.

• reinforced concrete bridge assessment

Statement dc:rights

• Copyright 2010 Matthew B. Gries

Language dc:language

en

Handle dc:identifier

http://hdl.handle.net/2142/15970

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:www.ideals.illinois.edu:2142/15970