Effect of Shear Stud Connections on Dynamic Response of an FRP Deck Bridge under Moving Loads

The main objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of shear stud connections on the dynamic response of the fiber-reinforced polymer (FRP) deck system under moving loads. A FRP deck bridge in Pennsylvania was studied based on a field test and finite-element (FE) analysis. In the field test, the strain of each steel girder at the midspan was measured at three positions: top, midheight, and bottom. In the FE analysis, the connection between the steel girders and the FRP deck was simulated as fully and partially composite, separately. Static performance under a simplified truck load was investigated based on these two FE models, and the FE analysis results were compared with the field test results to validate the FE models. The FE results of the fully composite model and the partially composite model provide a lower bound and an upper bound for the real response of the FRP deck system. Next, the dynamic behavior of the FRP deck system under moving loads was studied based on the two verified FE models. The static or dynamic response in the partially composite model of the FRP deck bridge was greater than the corresponding static or dynamic response in the fully composite model. Also, it was shown that the dynamic response in the partially composite model lags behind that in the fully composite model. Additionally, the FE analysis revealed that the number of shear stud connections affected the dynamic deflection, slip, and separation. Finally, the dynamic response of the FRP deck system was compared with that of the commonly used RC system.

[1]  Hota V. S. GangaRao,et al.  Dynamic Response of Three Fiber Reinforced Polymer Composite Bridges , 2005 .

[2]  Weichen Xue,et al.  Static Behavior and Theoretical Model of Stud Shear Connectors , 2008 .

[3]  D. Lam,et al.  Behavior of Headed Stud Shear Connectors in Composite Beam , 2005 .

[4]  C. S. Cai,et al.  Load distribution and dynamic response of multi-girder bridges with FRP decks , 2007 .

[5]  Zhongguo John Ma,et al.  Improved Longitudinal Joint Details in Decked Bulb Tees for Accelerated Bridge Construction: Concept Development , 2010 .

[6]  Julio F. Davalos,et al.  Stiffness and Strength Evaluations of a Shear Connection System for FRP Bridge Decks to Steel Girders , 2011 .

[7]  Young-Ho Lee,et al.  Degree of composite action verification of bolted GFRP bridge deck-to-girder connection system , 2006 .

[8]  N. E. Shanmugam,et al.  Finite-Element Analysis of Steel¿Concrete Composite Plate Girder , 2002 .

[9]  Wenchao Song,et al.  Design, test and field application of a GFRP corrugated-core sandwich bridge , 2010 .

[10]  Christopher J. Earls,et al.  Service Load Effective Compression Flange Width in Fiber Reinforced Polymer Deck Systems Acting Compositely with Steel Stringers , 2004 .

[11]  N. Gattesco,et al.  Analytical modeling of nonlinear behavior of composite beams with deformable connection , 1999 .

[12]  David A. Nethercot,et al.  Finite element modelling of composite beams with full and partial shear connection , 2007 .

[13]  Albert F. Daly,et al.  Performance of a fibre-reinforced polymer bridge deck under dynamic wheel loading , 2006 .

[14]  Modeling of through-thickness stress state in adhesive joints connecting pultruded FRP bridge decks and steel girders , 2009 .

[15]  Sreenivas Alampalli,et al.  Dynamic Analysis of the Bentley Creek Bridge with FRP Deck , 2012 .

[16]  Amjad J. Aref,et al.  DYNAMIC AND FATIGUE RESPONSE OF A TRUSS BRIDGE WITH FIBER REINFORCED POLYMER DECK , 2007 .

[17]  D. A. Eckel,et al.  SHEAR STUD CONNECTIONS FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF COMPOSITE ACTION BETWEEN STEEL GIRDERS AND FIBER-REINFORCED POLYMER BRIDGE DECKS , 2002 .

[18]  R. G. Slutter,et al.  Shear Strength of Stud Connectors in Lightweight and Normal-Weight Concrete , 1971, Engineering Journal.

[19]  Amjad J. Aref,et al.  Composite behavior of hybrid FRP-concrete bridge decks on steel girders , 2008 .