Behavior of Pile-Supported Integral Abutments at Bridge Sites with Shallow Bedrock

The advantages of constructing bridges with integral abutments are recognized by transportation agencies worldwide. However, pile supported integral abutments are limited to locations where the depth of overburden can provide fixed support conditions. In Maine, there are often cases where the depth to bedrock prohibits integral abutments bridges from being used. The goal of this research is to determine the feasibility of constructing integral abutments in conditions that cannot provide the fixed support conditions that are traditionally assumed. A finite element model was created that incorporates realistic constitutive and surface interaction models. These models allow for a good prediction of the soil/structure interaction and the structural response. The proposed design procedure results in values of moments and shear forces that are higher than those obtained from the finite element model. This is due to the inherent conservatism built into the methods used to calculate pile forces, which presents a worst-case design scenario. The proposed method expands the application of integral abutments to instances where an integral abutment supported by short piles is currently considered impractical. However, even with the expanded design criteria, finite element modeling indicates that there are cases where the combination of geometry, loading, and subsurface conditions may prohibit the use of integral abutments.

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