Design principles of surfacings on orthotropic steel bridge decks
Year: 2006
Type: dissertation
Abstract: This dissertation describes the research into surfacings of orthotropic steel bridge decks. The motive for this research is the frequently reported problems of this type of structures including cracking and rutting of surfacing materials and fatigue related cracks in the steel plate. An intensive experimental program was carried out on three wearing course materials, namely mastic asphalt, guss asphalt and an open synthetic material. The program also included on a bituminous based membrane material. The results of the experimental program were analysed to characterise the complex mechanical behaviour of the different materials. Within the framework of this research, models that describe the response of the surfacing materials were developed, including a newly developed unified model that describes the time-temperature characteristics of many road materials. Furthermore, constitutive relations for elastic as well as inelastic response of the materials were developed. All the developed models were implemented in the Finite Element System CAPA-3D. For verification of the different models results of laboratory tests and full-scale experiments in the LINTRACK APT facility were used. Furthermore, a scientific approach in which the non-linear response of the materials, the geometry and the load are well presented, was used to give an insight into the interaction between the different components of the structure and the vehicle at different temperatures. Because this scientific approach is too sophisticated and expensive for routine analyses and design of the structure, a practical design concept is proposed. In this concept, the geometry and the load are well presented, but the material behaviour is simplified
Author: T.O. Medani
Language: English
Subfield: Civil and Structural Engineering
Field: Engineering
Domain: Physical Sciences
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W1499399188