REMEDIAL MEASURES FOR CRACKED WEBS OF PRESTRESSED CONCRETE BRIDGES

Conditions which lead to the severe cracking of the webs of a continuous port-tensioned box-girder bridge and the measures adopted to repair this damage are described. It is shown analytically why the webs cracked under the applied prestressing. In conclusion two important factors are pointed out which should be incorporated in the computation of principal tensile stresses: firstly, the tremendous increase of shear stresses at the level of ducts and secondly the vertical tensile stresses resulting from radial forces of tendons with substantial curvatures. The authors conclude that the full strength and serviceability of the bridge were restored by the remedial measures adopted.