• Steel and Composite Structures
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• v.2 no.6
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• pp.429-440
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• 2002

A finite strip method is developed for fatigue reliability analysis of steel highway bridges. Flat shell strips are employed to model concrete slab and steel girders, while a connection strip is formed using penalty function method to take into account eccentricity of girder top flange. At each sampling point with given slab thickness and modulus ratio, a finite strip analysis of the bridge under fatigue truck is performed to calculate stress ranges at fatigue-prone detail, and fatigue failure probability is evaluated following the AASHTO approach or the LEFM approach. After the failure probability is integrated over all sampling points, fatigue reliability of the bridge is determined.

• Smart Structures and Systems
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• v.2 no.3
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• pp.275-293
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• 2006

For health monitoring purpose usually the structure is instrumented with a large scale and multichannel measurement system. In case of highway bridges, operating vehicle could be utilized to reduce the number of measuring devices. First this paper presents a static damage detection algorithm of using operating vehicle load. The technique has been validated by finite element simulation and simple laboratory test. Next the paper presents an approach of using this technique to field application. Here operating vehicle load data has been used by instrumenting the bridge at single location. This approach gives an upper hand to other sophisticated global damage detection methods since it has the potential of reducing the measuring points and devices. It also avoids the application of artificial loading and interruption of any traffic flow.

• International Journal of Highway Engineering
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• v.15 no.1
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• pp.1-9
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• 2013

PURPOSES: The purpose of this study is to evaluate physical properties, durability, fatigue resistance, and long-term performance of poly-urethane concrete (PU) which can be possible application of thin layer on long-span orthotropic steel bridge and to check structural stability of bridge structure. METHODS : Various tests of physical properties, such as flexural strength, tensile strength, bond strength and coefficient of thermal expansion tests were conducted for physical property evaluation using two types of poly urethane concrete which have different curing time. Freezing and thawing test, accelerated weathering test and chloride ion penetration test were performed to evaluate the effect of exposed to marine environment. Beam fatigue test and small scale accelerated pavement test were performed to assess the resistance of PU against fatigue damage and long-term performance. Structural analysis were conducted to figure out structural stability of bridge structure and thin bridge deck pavement system. RESULTS: The property tests results showed that similar results were observed overall however the flexural strength of PUa was higher than those of PUb. It was also found that PU materials showed durability at marine environment. Beam fatigue test results showed that the resistances of the PUa against fatigue damage were two times higher than those of the PUb. It was found form small scale accelerated pavement test to evaluate long-term performance that there is no distress observed after 800,000 load applications. Structural analysis to figure out structural stability of bridge structure and thin bridge deck pavement system indicated that bridge structures were needed to increase thickness of steel deck plate or to improve longitudinal rib shape. CONCLUSIONS: It has been known that the use of PU can be positively considered to thin layer on long-span orthotropic steel bridge in terms of properties considered marine environment, resistance of fatigue damage and long-term performance.

• International Journal of Highway Engineering
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• v.19 no.3
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• pp.19-30
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• 2017

PURPOSES : This study proposes the road asset valuation approach using alternative depreciation methods. It has become necessary to have asset management system according to the adoption of accrual basis accounting for governmental financial reporting and the amendment of the road act. Therefore, it is very important to analyze the effect of depreciation methods on road asset value as a basic research for road asset management system. METHODS : The Ministry of Strategy and Finance (MOSF) has mainly performed road asset valuation based on Write down Replacement Cost and Straight Line depreciation method. This study suggests some appropriate asset valuation methods for road assets through case analysis using three depreciation methods: Consumption-based depreciation method, Condition-based depreciation method, and Straight Line depreciation method. A road asset valuation data of national highway route 1 (year 2014) is used to analyze the effect of three depreciation methods on the road asset value. Road assets include land and structures (pavement, bridge, and tunnel). This study mainly focuses on structures such as bridges and tunnels, because according to governmental accounting standards, land and road pavement assets do not depreciate. RESULTS : The main results of this study are as follows. Firstly, overall asset value of national highway route 1 was estimated at 6.97 trillion KRW when MOSF's method (straight-line depreciation method) is applied. Secondly, asset value was estimated at 4.85 trillion KRW on application of consumption-based depreciation method. Thirdly, asset value was estimated at 4.37 trillion KRW when condition-based depreciation method is applied. Therefore, either consumption-based or condition-based depreciation methods would be more appropriate than straight-line depreciation method if we can use the condition data of road assets including land that are available in real time. CONCLUSIONS : Since road assets such as pavements, bridges, and tunnels have various patterns of deterioration and condition monitoring period, it is necessary to consider a specific valuation method according to the condition of each road asset. Firstly, even though road pavements do not depreciate, asset valuation through condition-based depreciation method would be more appropriate when requirements for application of non-depreciation approach are not satisfied. Since bridge and tunnel facilities show various patterns of deterioration and condition monitoring period by type and condition level, consumption-based depreciation method based on deterioration model would be appropriate. Therefore, it is necessary to have a reasonable asset management system to apply condition-based depreciation method and a periodic condition investigation to manage road assets well.

• Smart Structures and Systems
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• v.17 no.6
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• pp.995-1015
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• 2016

In the design and condition assessment of bridges, it is usually necessary to take into consideration the extreme conditions which are not expected to occur within a short time period and thus require an extrapolation from observations of limited duration. Long-term structural health monitoring (SHM) provides a rich database to evaluate the extreme conditions. This paper focuses on the extrapolation of extreme traffic load effects on bridges using long-term monitoring data of structural strain. The suspension Tsing Ma Bridge (TMB), which carries both highway and railway traffic and is instrumented with a long-term SHM system, is taken as a testbed for the present study. Two popular extreme value extrapolation methods: the block maxima approach and the peaks-over-threshold approach, are employed to extrapolate the extreme stresses induced by highway traffic and railway traffic, respectively. Characteristic values of the extreme stresses with a return period of 120 years (the design life of the bridge) obtained by the two methods are compared. It is found that the extrapolated extreme stresses are robust to the extrapolation technique. It may owe to the richness and good quality of the long-term strain data acquired. These characteristic extremes are also compared with the design values and found to be much smaller than the design values, indicating conservative design values of traffic loading and a safe traffic-loading condition of the bridge. The results of this study can be used as a reference for the design and condition assessment of similar bridges carrying heavy traffic, analogous to the TMB.

• Smart Structures and Systems
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• v.1 no.1
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• pp.83-101
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• 2005

This paper summarizes the application of a rational methodology for the structural assessment of older reinforced concrete Tunisian bridges. This methodology is based on ambient vibration measurement of the bridge, identification of the structure's modal signature and finite element model updating. The selected case study is the Boujnah bridge of the Tunis-Msaken Highway. This bridge is made of a continuous four-span simply supported reinforced concrete slab without girders resting on elastomeric bearings at each support. Ambient vibration tests were conducted on the bridge using a data acquisition system with nine force-balance accelerometers placed at selected locations of the bridge. The Enhanced Frequency Domain Decomposition technique was applied to extract the dynamic characteristics of the bridge. The finite element model was updated in order to obtain a reasonable correlation between experimental and numerical modal properties. For the model updating part of the study, the parameters selected for the updating process include the concrete modulus of elasticity, the elastic bearing stiffness and the foundation spring stiffnesses. The primary objective of the paper is to demonstrate the use of the Enhanced Frequency Domain Decomposition technique combined with model updating to provide data that could be used to assess the structural condition of the selected bridge. The application of the proposed methodology led to a relatively faithful linear elastic model of the bridge in its present condition.

• Advances in Computational Design
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• v.2 no.1
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• pp.43-56
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• 2017

The aim of this paper is to develop software for designing of steel reinforced elastomeric isolator (SREI) according to American Association for State Highway and Transportation Officials Load and Resistance Factor Design (AASHTO LRFD) Specifications. SREI is used for almost all bridge types and special structures. SREI-structures interface defines support boundary conditions and may affect the seismic performance of bridges. Seismic performance of the bridge is also affected by geometrical and materials properties of SREI. The selection of SREI is complicated process includes satisfying all the design constraints arising from code provisions and maximizing performance at the lowest possible cost. In this paper, design stage of SREI is described up to AASHTO LRFD 2012. Up to AASHTO LRFD 2012 analysis and design program of SREI performed different geometrical and material properties are created with C# object-oriented language. SREI-CAD, name of the created software, allows an accurate design for economical estimation of a SREI in a short time. To determine types of SREI effects, two different types of bearings, rectangular and circular with similar materials and dimension properties are selected as an application. Designs of these SREIs are completed with SREI-CAD. It is seen that ensuring the stability of circular elastomer bearing at the service limit state is generally complicated than rectangular bearing.

• Steel and Composite Structures
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• v.12 no.5
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• pp.427-444
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• 2012

This paper presented a new aerial platform-AERORail for rail transport and its structure evolution based on the elastic stiffness of cable; through the analysis on the cable properties when the cable supported a small service load with high-tensile force, summarized the theoretical basis of the AERORail structure and the corresponding simplified analysis model. There were 60 groups of experiments for a single naked cable model under different tensile forces and different services loads, and 48 groups of experiments for the cable with rail combined structure model. The experimental results of deflection characteristics were compared with the theoretical values for these two types of structures under the same conditions. It proved that the results almost met the classical cable theory. The reason is that a small deflection was required when this structure was applied. After the tension increments tests with moving load, it is verified that the relationships between the structure stiffness and tension force and service load are simple. Before further research and applications are made, these results are necessary for the determination of the reasonable and economic tensile force, allowable service load for the special span length for this new platform.

• Smart Structures and Systems
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• v.3 no.3
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• pp.373-384
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• 2007

For structural health monitoring (SHM) of civil infrastructures, displacement is a good descriptor of the structural behavior under all the potential disturbances. However, it is not easy to measure displacement of civil infrastructures, since the conventional sensors need a reference point, and inaccessibility to the reference point is sometimes caused by the geographic conditions, such as a highway or river under a bridge, which makes installation of measuring devices time-consuming and costly, if not impossible. To resolve this issue, a visionbased real-time displacement measurement system using digital image processing techniques is developed. The effectiveness of the proposed system was verified by comparing the load carrying capacities of a steel-plate girder bridge obtained from the conventional sensor and the present system. Further, to simultaneously measure multiple points, a synchronized vision-based system is developed using master/slave system with wireless data communication. For the purpose of verification, the measured displacement by a synchronized vision-based system was compared with the data measured by conventional contact-type sensors, linear variable differential transformers (LVDT) from a laboratory test.

• International Journal of Concrete Structures and Materials
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• v.11 no.1
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• pp.85-97
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• 2017

Research has suggested that conventional lightweight concrete can offer durability advantages due to reduced cracking tendency. Although a number of publications exist providing the results of laboratory-based studies on the durability performance of lightweight concrete (with lightweight coarse aggregate) and internally cured concrete (using prewetted lightweight fine aggregate), far fewer field studies of durability performance of conventional lightweight concrete bridge decks in service have been performed. This study was commissioned to provide insight to a highway agency on whether enhanced durability performance, and therefore reduced maintenance and longer lifecycles, could be anticipated from existing lightweight concrete bridge decks that were not intentionally internally cured. To facilitate performance comparison, each lightweight bridge deck selected for inclusion in this study was paired with a companion normalweight bridge deck on a bridge of similar structural type, deck thickness, and geometric configuration, with similar age, traffic, and environmental exposure. The field-observed cracking of the decks was recorded and evaluated, and crack densities for transverse, longitudinal, and pattern cracking of the normalweight and lightweight deck in each pair were compared. Although some trends linking crack prevalence to geographic location, traffic, and age were observed, a distinct difference between the cracking present in the paired lightweight and normalweight bridge decks included in this study was not readily evident. Statistical analysis using analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) to adjust for age and traffic influence did not indicate that the type of concrete deck (lightweight or normalweight) is a statistically significant factor in the observed cracking. Therefore, for these service environments, lightweight decks did not consistently demonstrate reduced cracking.