Post-Tensioned Concrete

U-Girder Design

Midas Elite Speaker Series

Doug Midkiff, PE
AECOM

May 23, 2017

POST-TENSIONED CONCRETE U-GIRDER BRIDGE DESIGN
(I-49 LAFAYETTE CONNECTOR)

Doug Midkiff
Structural Engineer III

AECOM

Education
Master of Science, Civil Engineering
Bachelor of Science, Civil Engineering
Colorado School of Mines

PA S T P R O J E C T S
• SH392 over I-25, Windsor, CO (Pre-tensioned concrete U-girders)
• Horseshoe Project, Dallas, TX (Post-tensioned concrete bulb tee)
• Illinois Tollway, Downers Grove, IL (Concrete I-Girder Design standards)
 Copyright Materials
This presentation is protected by US and International Copyright laws.
Reproduction, distribution, display and use of the presentation without written
permission of the speaker is prohibited.
© MIDASoft Inc.,2013
Post-Tensioned Concrete
U-Girder Design

Midas Elite Speaker Series

Doug Midkiff, PE
AECOM

May 23, 2017

I-49 Lafayette Connector

Concrete U-Girder Design

May 23, 2017

Project Summary
Design Criteria
Girder Section
Midas Modeling
 Project Location

EDMONTON

VANCOUVER REGINA WINNIPEG

CALGARY

ALBANY
TORONTO
MADISON
BLOOMFIELD

SACRAMENTO CHICAGO ALEXANDRIA

DENVER
AKLAND

SAN DIEGO PHOENIX

AUSTIN LAFAYETTE

Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development (LaDOTD)

Post-Tensioned Concrete U-Girder

Design May 23, 2017 Page 7
Project Summary

Future 5.5 mile segment of limited access highway that will

extend I-49 through I-10 to the Lafayette Regional Airport
– Features 2.75 miles of elevated freeway

Post-Tensioned Concrete U-Girder

Design May 23, 2017 Page 8
Project Goals

– Determine the best-value bridge and structure alternatives

• U-Girder design is part of a larger Bridge Development Report that also
studied steel girders and concrete segmental
• Work within the confines of a Context Sensitive Solutions (CSS) design that
is intended to obtain input from all stakeholders
– Utilize a closed, trapezoidal shaped structure for the mainline
structures
– Maintain a minimum span length of 150-feet

Post-Tensioned Concrete U-Girder

Design May 23, 2017 Page 9
Project Summary
Design Criteria
Girder Section
Midas Modeling
Design Criteria

– Prepared by AECOM with input and acceptance by LADOTD

• “LA Spec” – LADOTD Standard Specifications for Roads and Bridges (2006)
• “BDEM” – LADOTD Bridge Design and Evaluation Manual (2015)
• “AASHTO” – AASHTO LRFD Bridge Design Specifications, 7th Edition (2015)
– Design Static Loads
• Post-Tensioned Concrete γ = 155pcf
• Future Wearing Surface σ = 25psf
• 42” F-Shape barrier w = 521plf

Pre and Post-Tensioned Concrete

U-Girder Design May 23, 2017 Page 11
Design Criteria

– Design Live Loads

• Louisiana Design Vehicle Live
Load 2011 (LADV-11)
o Product of the force effects
produced by AASHTO HL-93 and
a BDEM magnification factor
o LADV-11 is a multiplier on the load
magnitudes
• AASHTO Lane definition and
multiple presence factors
• Live load deflection limited to
L/800 using either Design Truck
alone or 25% Design Truck with
Design Lane

Pre and Post-Tensioned Concrete

U-Girder Design May 23, 2017 Page 12
Design Criteria

– Temperature Loads
• Uniform Temperature by AASHTO Procedure A, base temperature of 68°
• Neglect Temperature Gradient
– Creep and Shrinkage Loads
• Relative Humidity 75%
– Wind Loads
• Per AASHTO Section 3.8
– Centrifugal Force
• Per AASHTO Section 3.6.3, design speed of 60mph (Urban Freeway)
– Braking Force
• Per AASHTO Section 3.6.4
– Dynamic Live Load Allowance
• Per AASHTO Section 3.6.2

Pre and Post-Tensioned Concrete

U-Girder Design May 23, 2017 Page 13
Design Criteria

– Load Factors
• BDEM has a load factor table that supersedes AASHTO Tbl 3.4.1-1
o Service III LL factor 1.00, increased from AASHTO 0.80
o Extreme Event I factor 0.25, decreased from AASHTO 0.50
o Redundancy Load Factor 1.10 – for girder spacing greater than 12-ft
– Materials
• Post-Tensioned concrete f’c = 6ksi (LADOTD Class P)
• Precast-Prestressed concrete girders f’c = 8.5ksi (LADOTD Class P)
• Elected to use f’c = 10ksi (LADOTD Class P)
o Release strength of f’c = 7.5ksi

Pre and Post-Tensioned Concrete

U-Girder Design May 23, 2017 Page 14
Design Criteria

– Assume shoring towers at every splice for support until girders are
made continuous by post-tensioning
– Neglect curvature of superstructure in the Midas models
• Girders will be chorded along the unit with kinks at the splice locations
• The curvature is large enough that centrifugal forces are minimal
– Post processing of Midas results
– Allowable stresses were calculated based on AASHTO and BDEM
– Load calculations prepared in advance of model building

Pre and Post-Tensioned Concrete

U-Girder Design May 23, 2017 Page 15
Project Summary
Design Criteria
Girder Section
Midas Modeling
Girder Section

PCI Zone 6 U84 Girder (Post

Tension)
– bf = 6’-0”
– W = 10’-9”
– tw = 10”
– tf = 1’-9”
– Weight = 2.529klf (γ = 150pcf)

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Design
Girder Section

Colorado U84 Girder (Prestress) Florida U72 Girder (Prestress)

Area = 10.40sf Area = 10.27sf

Weight = 1.612klf (γ = 155pcf) Weight = 1.592klf (γ = 155pcf)

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Design
Girder Section

LADOTD U84 Girder

– Use the FDOT standard and
extrapolate the shape to 84”
deep and increase web
thickness to accommodate post-
tension ducts
– Web thickness increased to the
inside of the tub
– Area = 14.92sf
– Weight = 2.313klf (γ = 155pcf)

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Design
Post-Tensioning

LADOTD U84 Girder

– Use 12-0.6”Φ strand ducts
– Grade 270 low lax strands
– Web thickness by FDOT Table
4.5.6-1

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Design
Post-Tensioning

LADOTD U84 Girder

– Duct center to center spacing by
FDOT Table 4.5.5-1

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Design
Pre-Tensioning

LADOTD U84 Girder

– Required for dead weight
resistance until girders are made
continuous
– Use 0.6”Φ strand ducts
– Grade 270 low lax strands
– Up to 3 layers in bottom flange
– Harp strands at girder ends as
necessary
– Maximum of 96 strands in each
piece

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Design
Project Summary
Design Criteria
Girder Section
Midas Modeling
Viaduct Decision Matrix
– Units were categorized by
number of spans
• 2, 3 and >3
– Modeled 4 units that were
determined to be worst case
• Longest span and greatest
girder spacing

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Design
Viaduct Decision Matrix

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Design
Girder Section

– Composite Girder drawn in AutoCAD for import to Midas

Section Property Calculator
– Neglect lid slab in section and models at this level of
design
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Design
Section Property Calculator

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Design
Section Property Calculator

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Design
Section Property Calculator

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Design
Basic Midas Model

– Blank model that features all of the properties needed

• Girder section has been defined
• Concrete strengths and time dependencies defined
• Pre and Post-Tensioned strand materials defined
• Static and Live Load definitions defined
• Load Cases set up

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Design
Basic Midas Model

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Design
Basic Midas Model

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Design
Bridge Wizard

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Design
Bridge Wizard

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Design
Bridge Wizard

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Design
Bridge Wizard

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Design
Bridge Wizard

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Design
Bridge Wizard

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Design
3-Span Unit

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Design
3-Span Unit

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Design
3-Span Unit

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Design
3-Span Unit

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Design
3-Span Unit

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Design
3-Span Unit

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Design
3-Span Unit

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Design
3-Span Unit

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Design
3-Span Unit

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Design
3-Span Unit

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Design
3-Span Unit

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Design
3-Span Unit

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Design
3-Span Unit

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Design
3-Span Unit

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Design
3-Span Unit

– Construction Staging, 7 stages for each unit

1. Pier sections
2. Drop-in sections
3. Post-tensioning
4. Wet deck pour
5. Composite section with dead load only
6. Composite section with live loads
7. Long term service, 10 years

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Design
3-Span Unit

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Design
3-Span Unit

Construction Stage – stress at top of girder after post tensioning

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Design
3-Span Unit

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Design
3-Span Unit

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Design
3-Span Unit

Construction Stage – stress at top of girder after post tensioning

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Design
3-Span Unit

Construction Stage – stress at bottom of girder after post tensioning

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Design
3-Span Unit

Service I – stress at top of girder, LADV positive moment magnification loading

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Design
3-Span Unit

Service I – stress at bottom of girder, LADV negative moment magnification loading

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Design
3-Span Unit

Service III – stress at top of girder, LADV negative moment magnification loading

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Design
3-Span Unit

Service III – stress at bottom of girder, LADV positive moment magnification loading

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Design
3-Span Unit

– Allowable stresses are

calculated based on
AASHTO and BDEM
– Stresses are checked by
visual inspection of the
Midas results

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Design
3-Span Unit

Strength I – moment about transverse axis, LADV positive moment magnification loading

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Design
3-Span Unit

Strength I – moment about transverse axis, LADV positive moment magnification loading

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Design
3-Span Unit

– Positive moment capacity relied on

composite section

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Design
3-Span Unit

Negative Moment Capacity

Negative Moment Capacity Calculated section

capacity

Midas results

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Design
3-Span Unit

– Use strain compatibility to check

moment capacity
– Negative moment capacity relied on
girder alone

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Design
3-Span Unit

Negative Moment Capacity

Negative Moment Capacity

Midas results

Negative Moment Capacity

Calculated section
capacity

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Design
4-Span Unit with Flared Girders

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Design
4-Span Unit with Flared Girders

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Design
4-Span Unit with Flared Girders

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Design
4-Span Unit with Flared Girders

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Design
4-Span Unit with Flared Girders

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Design
4-Span Unit with Flared Girders

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Design
4-Span Unit with Flared Girders

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Design
4-Span Unit with Flared Girders

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Design
4-Span Unit with Flared Girders

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Design
4-Span Unit with Flared Girders

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Design
4-Span Unit with Flared Girders

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Design
4-Span Unit with Flared Girders

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Design
North Viaduct, Unit 10 Northbound

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Design
4-Span Unit with Flared Girders

Service I – stress at top of girder, LADV negative moment magnification loading

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Design
4-Span Unit with Flared Girders

Service III – stress at bottom of girder, LADV positive moment magnification loading

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Design
4-Span Unit with Flared Girders

Strength I –LADV positive moment magnification loading

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Design
4-Span Unit with Flared Girders

Strength I –LADV negative moment magnification loading

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Design
Thank you to:
Jay Kwon and Angela Kim of Midas
Jenny Fu of LaDOTD

Questions?
doug.midkiff@aecom.com

May 23, 2017