• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.18 no.4
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• pp.475-491
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• 2004

Anchorage devices play an important role in post-tensioned bridge structures since they must sustain heavy loads in order to permit the transfer of the prestressing force to the structure. In external prestressing, the situation is even more critical since the anchorage mechanisms, with the deviators, are the only links between the structure and the tendons throughout the service life of the structure. The behaviour of anchorage devise may be studied by using the finite element method. To do so, each component of the anchorage must be adequately represented in order to approximate the anchor mechanism as accurately as possible. In particular, the modelling of the jaw/tendon device may be carried out using the real geometry of these two components with an appropriate constitutive contact law or by replacing these components by a single equivalent. This paper presents the numerical study of a mono-strand anchorage device. The results of a comparison between two different representations of the jaw/tendon device, either as two distinct components or as a single equivalent, will be examined. In the double-component setup, the influence of the wedge configuration composing the jaw, and the influence of lubrication of the anchor, will be assessed.