Course: 11375 - Bridge Structures

DTU Civil Engineering

Exercise 3: Preliminary analysis and design of prestressed concrete

highway bridge
Revision: R1
Date: 07-11-2016

Content of background materials:

Selected drawings of bridge

DS/EN 1991-2: Traffic loads on bridges

Assignment 1: Preliminary design of post-tensioning cable layout for SLS conditions

The bridge cross sections must remain in compression when subjected to dead load and un-cracked when
subjected to traffic load in SLS, frequent combinations. Suggest a layout for post-tensioning cables (i.e.
determine the number of cables and cable geometry) so that these design criteria are fulfilled.
The calculations shall be based on the following assumptions and requirements. Additional information
required to carry out the calculations may be extracted from the delivered project material or if necessary
assumed and justified.
Assumptions, Design basis & Requirements:

For dead load, concrete must be in compression and the compressive normal stresses in cross
sections limited to 0,50fck.
For dead load + traffic load in SLS load combinations, tensile stresses limited to 1,0fctk and
compressive stresses limited to 0,60fck.

The SLS frequent load combination to be considered is: 1.0*DL + 0.75*TS +0.40*UDL, where DL =
dead load and TS represents the tandems of LM1 and UDL represents the uniformly distributed
loads of LM1 (traffic load in DS/EN 1991-2). The analyses for this load combination are performed
for the bridge after 50 years in use, where effects of creep, shrinkage and relaxation are assumed
to have reached the final stage. The total loss of prestressing force due to of creep, shrinkage and
relaxation is assumed to be 10%.

The structural dead load should be determined by using 25 kN/m3 as density for reinforced
concrete. The superimposed dead load of surfacing may be taken as 23 kN/m3 and of crash barriers
as 1 kN/m per barrier.

The traffic load to be used shall be load model LM1 described in DS/EN 1991-2 consisting of
tandems systems (TS) and uniformly distributed loads (UDL). The tandems loads may be
approximated by two concentrated forces, P = (300+200+100) = 600 KN. The uniform distributed
line load (UDL) may be approximated by p = (3 m)*(6 kN/m2) + (w-3)*(2.5 kN/m2), where w is the
width of the carriageway between the crash barriers (unit of p is in kN/m). The concentrated forces,
P, shall be placed at the mutual distance of 1.2m. For each relevant effect to be considered (i.e.
max sagging moment, max hogging moment and max deflection) the length and position of the line
load and the position of the pair of forces, P, should be chosen to obtain worst case scenario (use
e.g. influence lines for this purpose).

Critical sections shall be normally reinforced when including presstressing cables into the
calculation of the ultimate moment capacity

Use cables made of 19 strands with area As = 150mm2 per strand. fpk = 1860 MPa, E = 195 GPa. Max.
initial prestressing of cables is limited to 0.75fpk at the anchorages.

Use: fck = 40 MPa; Ec = Es/6 for short term effects; Ec = Es/18 for long term effects.

Effects of prestressing may be analysed by use of the Equivalent Load Method (more advanced
methods may be used if available)

Preliminary calculations may be based on an averaging of prestress loss along the bridge length
with reasonable (justified) assumptions of effective prestress after all loses in short term and in
long term conditions.

The design and analysis must be documented and illustrated in the following work items /deliveries:
Work items / deliveries:
1. Illustrations of the suggested cable layout in sketches of cross sections and sketches of longitudinal
bridge profile. It is assumed that the cable profile consists of segments of circles or parabolas and
straight lines. The minimum allowable radius of curvature is R=8m. The profiles shall be smooth (i.e.
kinks not allowed). Curvature of the cable profiles should not start at distance less than 1400 mm
from the anchorages.
2. Plots of:

Sectional forces (M, V, N) due to prestress (total as well as parasite moments shall be
plotted)
Sectional forces for the dead load (without and with superimposed dead load)
Sectional forces for the combination of dead load and prestress. Plots for both short term
(just after prestressing without superimposed dead load) as well as long term conditions
(after 50 years including superimposed dead load).

3. Sketches of load arrangements and plots of moment diagrams for live loads (effects of TS and UDL
to be plotted separately). Cases of relevant are: Max hogging moment and max sagging moment
4. Sketch of load arrangement and plot of deflection diagram for case with maximum deflection. Plot
both long term deflections from permanent loads (dead load and prestressing) and short term
deflections due to traffic load only (0,75*TS + 0,40*UDL).
5. A sketch of a pre-camber profile to compensate for the long term deflection from dead load.
6. Calculations and plots of the normal stress distribution at the critical cross sections to demonstrate
fulfilment of the design criteria (it is usually sufficient to check sections at mid span and at
intermediate support). Both short term without superimposed dead load and long term situation
shall be checked.
7. Calculations of the ultimate moment capacity (with account of initial prestress) to demonstrate
fulfilment of requirement for sections to be to normally reinforced
8.

Suggestion of a scheme for how to tension the cables (sequence and active/passive ends) and
evaluation of the initial assumptions regarding friction loss by a detailed analysis of friction loss
after anchorage of cables. For calculations, assume =0,19/rad, k=0,007rad/m and anchorage set
(drawn in) = 7 mm.

This question is optional for the curious students

Assignment 2: ULS verification

In practical design, the safety of the bridge against collapse has to be verified for ULS load combinations.
Detailed ULS verification is not a part of this exercise. However, the following should be qualitatively
considered:
1. Give a description of the relevant failure mechanisms that the bridge should be verified for at
describe in text and sketches the design measures (e.g. additional reinforcement) that are required
to ensure sufficient load carrying capacity. Max 2 page.
Assignment 3: Suggestion of alternative design
The design basis for this highway bridge is now changed. The altered requirements are as follow:

The intermediate support is removed

It is not necessary to have a reinforced concrete bridge deck
Height of bridge deck less than 1,60 meter
Supporting structures above deck level are allowed but limited to L/4 above deck, where L = span
between abutments.

You are asked to deliver the following:

1. Suggest at least two alternative solutions, where girder cross section may be changed and where
global static system also may be change supplemented with rough estimates of main structural
dimensions
2. Discuss advantages and disadvantages of the suggested solutions