Evaluation of a Continuous Rigid Frame Bridge with Early Transverse Cracking

摘要

Early transverse cracking in the deck segment on interior pier of continuous rigid frame bridgernconstructed by balanced cantilever method is one of the dominant forms of bridge defectsrnexperience. These cracks often initiate soon after the deck segment on interior pier is constructed.rnMost of the past efforts addressing to transverse cracking have focused on causes and changes overrnthe years in concrete material properties. However, bridge owners are more concerned with thernimpact of early transverse cracking on the performance and durability of the bridges. Thus bridgernowners can make rational decisions vary from doing nothing to total rejection. This paper presents arncomprehensive numerical study on a continuous rigid frame bridge with early transverse cracks inrnthe China Western. The crack repair forms, crack numbers as well as crack spatial dimensions arernconsidered as major causes in three 3D solid models with practical data. Analysis results showedrnthat the existence of early transverse cracking in the deck segment on interior pier did not creaternmuch weakness in the structural static behavior.