This Month in the Journal of Structural Engineering

摘要

A two-part paper by Sri Sritharan examining the behavior and design of bridge joints opens this issue of the Journal. In "Strut-and-tie analysis of bridge tee joints subjected to seismic actions," Sritharan identifies certain shortcomings in the widely used force transfer model for bridge tee joints. It is demonstrated that modeling joint shear as a component of the total force transfer across the joint enables utilization of beam reinforcement for the force transfer, thus reducing the required shear reinforcement and improving constructability of the joint. In the second paper, "An improved seismic design procedure for concrete bridge joints" is proposed. Utilizing a new modified form of the force transfer model, Sritharan develops a methodology for the seismic design of tee and knee joints in bridge structures. "Factors contributing to bridge-embankment interaction" by Price and Eberhard investigates important phenomena that contribute to interaction effects between bridges and approach embankments during earthquakes. The study finds that three-dimensional embankment effects and modeling of soil behavior are significant contributors while the response is generally insensitive to embankment scattering and changes in embankment geometry.