• Journal of the Korea Concrete Institute
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• v.17 no.4 s.88
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• pp.645-654
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• 2005

This paper presents a nonlinear finite element procedure for the analysis of reinforced and prestressed concrete shells using the four-node quadrilateral flat shell element with drilling rotational stiffness. A layered approach is used to discretize, through the thickness, the behavior of concrete, reinforcing bars and tendons. Using the smeared-crack method, cracked concrete is treated as an orthotropic nonlinear material. The steel reinforcement and tendon are assumed to be in a uni-axial stress state and to be smeared in a layer. The constitutive models, which cover the loading, unloading, and reloading paths, and the developed finite element procedure predicts with reasonable accuracy the behavior of reinforced and prestressed concrete shells subjected to different types of loading. The proposed numerical method fur nonlinear analysis of reinforced and prestressed concrete shells is verified by comparison with reliable experimental results.

• Journal of Korean Society of Steel Construction
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• v.19 no.2
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• pp.233-245
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• 2007

Previous finite element studies have shown that AASHTO Standard load distribution factor (LDF) equations appear to be conservative for longer spans and larger girder spacing, but too permissible for short spans and girder spacing. AASHTO LRFD specification defines the distribution factor equation for girder spacing, span length, slab thickness, and longitudinal stiffness. However, this equation requires an iterative procedure to correctly determine the LDF value due to an initially unknown longitudinal stiffness parameter. This study presents a simplified LDF equation for interior and exterior girders of two-span continuous I-girder bridges that does not require an iterative design procedure. The finite element method was used to investigate the effect of girder spacing, span length, slab thickness, slab width, and spacing and size of bracing. The computer program, GTSTRUDL, was used to idealize the bridge superstructures as the eccentric beam model, the concrete slab by quadrilateral shell elements, steel girders by space frame members, and the composite action between these elements by rigid links. The distribution factors obtained from these analyses were compared with those from the AASHTO Standard and LRFD methods. It was observed through the parametric studies that girder spacing, span length, and slab thickness were the dominant parameters compared with others. The LRFD distribution factor for the interior girder was found to be conservative in most cases, whereas the factor for the exterior girder to be unconservative in longer spans. Furthermore, a regression analysis was performed to develop simplified LDF formulas. The formulas developed in this study produced LDF values that are always conservative to those from the finite element method and are generally smaller than the LDF values obtained from the AASHTO LRFD specification. The proposed simplified equation will assist bridge engineers in predicting the actual LDF in two-span continuous I-girder bridges.