TIME DEPENDENT DEFORMATIONS OF A COUPLED BRIDGE: A CASE STUDY

Abstract

The bridge's span structure comprises a connected beam designed to support a concrete slab poured over parallel steel supports. Simultaneously, segmental construction, shrinkage, and the flow of concrete play a significant role in stress redistribution over time. The span construction is statically indeterminate due to its connections with the abutments, and temporal deformations occur under additional complex conditions. In this analysis, we employed a calculation model based on the layered finite elements method developed by the authors. This model can be utilized to analyse both statically indeterminate supports and the predicted phased construction method. It accounts for changes in the static system and loading, as well as variations in the layers within the coupled section and the viscous properties of the concrete over time. The calculation analysis results reveal that viscous concrete deformations, combined with different moments of activation of individual segments, have a significant impact on stress redistribution over time. Such intricate analyses are indispensable for ensuring the required safety and cost-effectiveness of the bridge span construction.