Recent Research on Steel Bridges

2012 CTR Symposium

Investigators: Michael Engelhardt

Todd Helwig
Karl Frank
Eric Williamson
Richard Klingner

Recent Research on Steel Bridges

Project 0-5701
Cross Frame and Diaphragm Layout and
Connection Details
Completed 2010

Project 0-6564
Improved Cross Frame Details
On-Going Research

Project 0-6719
Strengthening Continuous Steel Girders With
Post-Installed Shear Connectors
On-Going Research
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Cross Frame and Diaphragm Layout and

Connection Details
TxDOT Project 0-5701
Completed 2010
Graduate Research Assistants:
Craig Quadrato, Wei Wang, Andrew Wahr, Anthony Battistini
Faculty Researchers:
Todd Helwig, Karl Frank, and Michael Engelhardt
TxDOT Project Coordinator:
TxDOT Project Director:

Kenneth Ozuna
Ken Lin

Research
Objectives
1. Investigate cross frame
connection details for
skewed steel girder
bridges
2. Investigate different
bracing layouts
3. Improve stability and
fatigue performance

Current TxDOT Practice:

Bent Plate Detail for Connecting CrossFrames to Girders at a Skew:

Bearing
Stiffeners

Bent Plate
Cross Frame

Key Issue: Flexibility of Bent Plate Connection Detail

Key Objective: Develop Improved Connection Detail for
Attaching Skewed Cross-Frames to Girder

Proposed Improved Connection:

Half-Pipe Stiffener
Half-Pipe
Stiffener

Bearing
Stiffeners

Cross Frame

Bent Plate
Cross Frame

Potential Benefits of Half-Pipe Stiffener:

Stiffer cross-frame to girder connection
Provides warping restraint for girder increases
girder stability
Warping restraint
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Major Research Activities

Laboratory Tests
Connection Tests
Fatigue Testing
Large Scale Tests on Two and Three Girder Systems

Computational Modeling

Connection Testing and Analysis

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Fatigue Testing and Analysis

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Large Scale Testing

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Computational Modeling

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Results
Bent Plate Connection:
acceptable for end frames
avoid for intermediate cross frames
half-pipe stiffener provides a better alternative

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Results (cont.)
Benefits of half-pipe stiffener:
Increased stability and safety of girders during all
stages of construction.
Better control of end twist during construction .
Serves as bearing stiffener.
Potentially eliminate first line of intermediate
cross frames near support.
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Results (cont.)
Design of half-pipe stiffener:
Hand calculation method determine modified
effective length of girder for buckling calculations.
UT Bridge software
Updated to incorporate the half-pipe stiffener

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Design of Half-Pipe Stiffener

UT Bridge

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Results (cont.)
Consider use of staggered intermediate cross-frames in
skewed bridges.
Avoid congestion near supports
Better fatigue performance due to lower induced
live load force
Continuous:

Staggered:

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Improved Cross Frame Details

TxDOT Project 0-6564
Research In Progress
Graduate Research Assistants:
Anthony Battistini, Wei Wang
Faculty Researchers:
Todd Helwig, Michael Engelhardt, Karl Frank
TxDOT Project Director:
Michelle Romage-Chambers

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Research Objective
Investigate behavior of TxDOT standard cross frames:
Stiffness
Strength
Fatigue

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Research Objective
Develop and evaluate potential improvements to
cross frame details.
Single diagonal cross frames
Use of tubular members
Use of double-angle members
Unconventional connection details

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Cross Frame Functions

Critical for stability of
steel bridges during
construction
Resist torsion in curved
steel bridge systems
Distribute lateral loads
and truck live loads

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Cross Frame Member and Connection

Analysis

Knife Plate
Detail

Double Angle
Detail

T-Stem Detail

Cast Connection
Detail

Single Angle
Detail

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Component Stiffness, Strength and Fatigue

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Component Stiffness, Strength and Fatigue

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Cross Frame System Stiffness and Strength

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Cross Frame System Stiffness and Strength

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Cross Frame System Stiffness and Strength

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Cross Frame System Stiffness and Strength

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Key Observations from Research

Completed To-Date
Standard TxDOT Single Angle Cross-Frame:
Behavior is complex due to use of single angle
members (unsymmetrical member, eccentric
connections).
Current methods used in design to calculate
cross frame stiffness can lead to large errors.
Fatigue behavior cannot be predicted by
component level testing. Cross Frame fatigue
behavior may be worse than previously
assumed.

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Key Observations from Research

Completed To-Date (cont.)
Promising approaches for improved cross frames:
Single diagonal cross frame
Tubular members or double angle members to
minimize eccentric connections
Knife plate connections for tubes
Conventional gusset connections for double
angles
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Strengthening Continuous Steel Girders

With Post-Installed Shear Connectors
TxDOT Project 0-6719
Research In Progress
Graduate Research Assistants:
Kerry Kreitman and Hemal Patel
Faculty Researchers:
Michael Engelhardt. Todd Helwig, Richard Klingner,
and Eric Williamson
TxDOT Project Director:
Yuan Zhao

Project Objective
Develop techniques to strengthen existing continuous
multi-span non-composite steel girder bridges, through
the use of post-installed shear connectors.

Project 0-6719 builds on previous TxDOT

Projects:
0-4124: Methods to Develop Composite Action in
Non-Composite Bridge Floor Systems
(completed 2007)
5-4124: Implementation Project: Bridge
Strengthening Through the Use of Postinstalled Shear Connectors (completed
2009)

Key Concept:
Strengthen existing non-composite steel
girder bridges.by developing
composite action

Post-installed
shear connector

concrete deck

steel girder

Older Non-composite Bridge

Focus of Project 0-4124: Increase positive moment capacity

Bridge Near Hondo, Texas:

Improvement in Load Rating -

Load Rating
Before Retrofit

After Retrofit

Inventory Level

HS 10.6

HS 17.5

Operating Level

HS 17.6

HS 29.1

Increase in load rating: 65 %

Project 0-6719:
Extend concepts developed in 0-4124 and 5-4124:
Use post-installed shear connectors to strengthen
continuous multi-span girders with inadequate
flexural capacity in negative moment regions.

Challenge:
Composite action is less efficient in negative
moment regions concrete is in tension.
Possible Approaches:
Use post-installed shear connectors in negative
moment region- using reinforcing steel for
composite action
Use post-installed shear connectors in positive moment
region allow redistribution of moment from negative to
positive moment regions

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Recent Research on Steel Bridges

- Closing Comments Overall Research Focus:
Improve safety and economy of new steel bridges.
Develop practical solutions to problems that arise
in design and/or construction.
Develop methods to extend the life of existing steel
bridges.
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