Technical Note on Anchor Beam and Terminal Slab

- What is Terminal Slab?

The last panel where Cement concrete panel are terminated adjoining the bridge structure is
known as terminal slab.

- Why is Terminal Slab and Anchor Beam necessary?

Cement concrete slab will expand during hot season and this will result in the
building up of horizontal thrust on adjoining bridge structure. This is to be understood that
the thrust will develop on the bridge structure if the approach slab is in connection with the
bridge structure.
To contain this thrust RCC anchor beams or approach slab are to be provided in the
terminal slab. The terminal slab also needs to be provided with reinforcement to strengthen
it.

- Why Anchors beam is not provided?

Since the Approach slab is provided with expansion joints at both the ends. It is allowed to
expand in both the direction.
Even if the terminal slab expands more than the expansion joint thickness between the
approach slab and terminal slab. The approach slab is free to slide and accommodate the
expansion gap between approach slab and bridge structure.

- Design Calculations provided for Justification.

Total Thickness of Expansion joint provided = 20 mm

Length of Cement Concrete Slab provided = 50,000 mm = 5 kM

Expansion of Terminal slab due to temperature difference (25 deg. Celsius)
= a x T x L = (10 x 10^-6) x (25) x (50,000) = 12.5 mm

Where a = Coefficient of thermal Expansion (/deg. Celsius)

T = Temperature Difference (deg. Celsius)
L = Length of Cement Concrete Slab.

It can be clearly seen that, if a cement concrete slab of 5 kM length is having a temperature
difference of 25 deg. Celsius then the expansion produced by such a slab is 12.5mm (worst
case scenario) which is less than the Expansion Gap Provided.

Hence it can be concluded that, it is not necessary to provided Anchor Beams below the
terminal slab in our case. It may be required to be provided where-ever critical.