CASE STUDY OF CONCRETE BRIDGE SUBJECTED TO HURRICANE STORM SURGE AND WAVE ACTION

A number of coastal concrete bridges along the US Gulf Coast were severely damaged due to storm surge and wave action during Hurricane Katrina. In most cases there was no restraint provided in the design to prevent uplift of the bridge deck, and only nominal restraint against lateral movement relative to the supporting piers. However, in one particular bridge, bolted angle connections were provided between the bridge girders and supporting bents. Despite the fairly robust connections, five spans of this bridge structure were moved from their original location by hydrodynamic forces. This paper presents the results of a structural review of this coastal concrete bridge and the performance of the girder to pier connections. Recommendations are made to improve these connections for use in future new construction, or retrofit of existing bridges threatened with coastal inundation due to either hurricane storm surge or tsunamis.