• Steel and Composite Structures
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• v.26 no.6
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• pp.745-757
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• 2018

The inclusion of a ductile steel bracing as means of repairing an earthquake-damaged bridge bent is evaluated and experimentally assessed for the purposes of restoring the damaged bent's strength and stiffness and further improving the energy dissipation capacity. The study is focused on substandard reinforced concrete multi-column bridge bents constructed in the 1950 to mid-1970 in the United States. These types of bents have numerous deficiencies making them susceptible to seismic damage. Large-scale experiments were used on a two-column reinforced concrete bent to impose considerable damage of the bent through increasing amplitude cyclic deformations. The damaged bent was then repaired by installing a ductile fuse steel brace in the form of a buckling-restrained brace in a diagonal configuration between the columns and using post-tensioned rods to strengthen the cap beam. The brace was secured to the bent using steel gusset plate brackets and post-installed adhesive anchors. The repaired bent was then subjected to increasing amplitude cyclic deformations to reassess the bent performance. A subassemblage test of a nominally identical steel brace was also conducted in an effort to quantify and isolate the ductile fuse behavior. The experimental data from these large-scale experiments were analyzed in terms of the hysteretic response, observed damage, internal member loads, as well as the overall stiffness and energy dissipation characteristics. The results of this study demonstrated the effectiveness of utilizing ductile steel bracing for restoring the bent and preventing further damage to the columns and cap beams while also improving the stiffness and energy dissipation characteristics.

• Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
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• v.18 no.12
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• pp.150-156
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• 2017

This study examined the stress recovery length due to the local damage of a 7-wire strand, which is applied widely to PSC (Post Tensioned Concrete) bridges and cable-stayed bridges. The 7-wire strand is a multiple stranded steel of PC prestressing strand. Owing to the nature of the material, it is damaged continuously after completion with corrosion being the main cause of damage. On the other hand, due to its structural characteristics, it is difficult to grasp the degree of damage inside the cable and the pattern of stress variation. In the case of cables applied to bridges, the parts that are susceptible to corrosion are generated depending on the water supply and installation shape, which may cause local damage. This study analyzed the tendency of performance degradation and stress recovery length according to local damage of a 7-wire strand, which is applied mainly to bridge post-tensioning or stay cables. This study developed a computer-based simulation model that was validated with experimental results. The model developed in this study can be used to evaluate the safety level and estimate the remaining life span of P SC bridges or cable-stayed bridges.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Safety
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• v.31 no.3
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• pp.75-81
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• 2016

Tendon corrosion reliability in KICT-ultra high performance concrete (K-UHPC) bridges is assessed and predicted considering uncertainties in flexural bending capacity and corrosion occurrence. In post-tensioning bridge systems, corrosion is a one of most critical failure mechanisms due to strength reduction by it. During the entire service life, those bridges may experience lifetime corrosion deterioration initiated and propagated in tendons which are embedded not only in normal concrete but also in K-UHPC. For this reason, the time-variant corrosion performance has to be assessed. In the absence of in-depth researches associated with K-UHPC tendon corrosion, a reliability-based prediction model is developed to evaluate lifetime corrosion performance of tendon in K-UHPC bridges. In 2015, KICT built a K-UHPC pilot bridge at 168/5~168/6 milestone on Yangon-Mandalay Expressway in Myanmar, by using locally produced tendons which post-tensioned in longitudinal and lateral ways of K-UHPC girders. For an illustrative purpose, this K-UHPC bridge is used to identify the time-variant corrosion performance.

• Journal of the Korea institute for structural maintenance and inspection
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• v.20 no.6
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• pp.73-83
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• 2016

Bearing stress near anchor plates is usually very high due to prestressing force in anchorage zone of concrete structure used post-tensioned prestressed method. In order to effective utilization of cross section and crack control, appropriate size of anchorage plates should be used to prevent crack initiation and failure of concrete structures eventually. This study aims to suggest equation for effective area of bearing plate of rectangle type and circular type by Highway Bridge Design Specification and PTI etc. A shape factor according to bearing plate shape is suggested based on numerical analysis, and it can be used suitability for design of special anchorage plate dimension.

• International Journal of Highway Engineering
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• v.12 no.4
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• pp.157-164
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• 2010

This research was conducted to analyze the behavior of Single-PTAS (Single Post-Tensioned Approach Slab) under tensioning and environmental loads by performing field tests when the demonstration Single-PTAS was being constructed. The temperature measurement sensors were installed at different depths, and the displacements in the approach slab under environmental loads and tensioning were measured using displacement transducers. As an experimental result, an abrupt change in the longitudinal displacement due to tensioning was not observed. The daily temperature change in the approach slab was negligible where the depth is over about 35cm. The temperature gradient in the approach slab adjacent to bridge was smaller than that adjacent to pavement. The patterns and magnitudes of vertical displacements were directly related to the temperature gradient at the measuring location. The behavior of Single-PTAS was very similar to that of concrete pavement. Therefore, a new design methodology for approach slabs is needed to include the pavement concept and to overcome drawback of current design procedures based on the simple beam concept.

• International Journal of Highway Engineering
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• v.13 no.3
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• pp.7-14
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• 2011

The numerical analyses were performed to investigate the curling behavior of the post-tensioned prestressed concrete approach slab (PTAS) under environmental loads. A technique to include properly the boundary conditions of one end of PTAS that was connected to the bridge abutment using hinges was proposed for the numerical model. The applicability of a simplified model not having hunches was also investigated. By using the developed models, the curling behavior of PTAS was analyzed when the foundation settlement occurred. The analysis results showed that the maximum tensile stress obtained from the simplified model involving a simplified hinge connection was very closed to that obtained from a rigorous model. When the slab curled up, the maximum tensile stress occurred in the model including no foundation settlement, but when the slab curled down, the maximum stress occurred in the model including partial settlement of the foundation. Therefore, the design of PTAS should be performed considering those maximum tensile stresses.

• Journal of the Korea institute for structural maintenance and inspection
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• v.28 no.2
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• pp.53-60
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• 2024

Prestressed concrete (PSC) bridges are vulnerable to corrosion and fracture of tendons, and in particular, structures using the internal post-tensioned with grouted system have difficulties in maintenance due to limitations of inspection. In this study, the actual behavior of PSC I girder bridge was analyzed according to tendon damage. The target PSC I girder bridge, an decommissioned highway bridge of upper and lower bridges, had the service period of 33 years and 20 years, respectively. Deflection and concrete strain were measured according to the location of damaged tendon and loading method. Regardless of the age of the bridge, its structural performance decreased when the damaged tendon was closer to the center of the girder. The change in behavior increased as the truck load approached to the girder where the tendon cut. If the load was applied to the adjacent girder where the tendon was cut, the structural performance was likely to be maintained due to the influence of the entire structural system. The change in deflection was difficult to observe visually, while the concrete strain exceeded the cracking strain. Therefore, it is recommended that future monitoring and inspection of PSC I girder bridges should focus on concrete strain or cracking.

• Proceedings of the KSR Conference
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• 2008.11b
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• pp.993-999
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• 2008

A girder height limitation is the critical parameter for rapid construction of bridge deck and construction space limitation especially in urban area such as high population area and high density habitats. A standard post-tensioned I-shaped concrete girder usually demands relatively higher girder height in order to retain sufficient moment arm between compression force and tensile force. To elaborate this issue, a small U-shaped section with wide flanges can be used as a possible replacement of I-shaped standard girder. This prestressed concrete box girder allows more flexible girder height adjustment rather than standard I-shaped post-tensioned girder plus additional torsion resistance benefits of closed section. A 30m-long, 1.7m-high and 3.63m-wide actual small prestressed concrete box girder is designed and a laboratory test for its static behaviors by applying 6,200kN amount of load in the form of 4-point bending test was performed. The load-deflection curve and crack patterns at different loading stage are recorded. In addition, to extracting the dynamic characteristics such as natural frequency and damping ratio of this girder, several excitation tests with artificial mechanical exciter with un-symmetric mass are carried out using operational frequency sweep-up. Nonlinear finite element analysis of this 4 point bending test under monotonic static load is investigated and discussed with aids of concrete damaged plasticity formulation using ABAQUS program.

• KSCE Journal of Civil and Environmental Engineering Research
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• v.31 no.3A
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• pp.235-249
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• 2011

A new form of I-type PSC bridge girder, which has hole in the web, is proposed in this paper. Three different concepts were combined and implemented in the design. First of all, a girder was precast at a manufacturing plant as divided pieces and assembled at the construction site using post-tensioning method, and the construction period at the site will be reduced dramatically. In this way, the quality of concrete can be assured at the manufacturing factory and concrete curing can be well controlled, and the spliced girder segments can be moved to the construction site without a transportation problem. Secondly, a numerous number of holes was made in the web of the girder. This reduces the self-weight of the girder. But more important thing related to the holes is that about half of the total anchorages can be moved from the girder ends into individual holes. The magnitude of negative moment developed at girder ends will be reduced. Also, since the longitudinal compressive stresses are reduced at ends, thick end diaphragm is not necessary. Thirdly, Prestressing force was introduced into the member through multiple stages. This concept of multi-stage prestressing method overcomes the prestressing force limit restrained by the allowable stresses at each loading stage, and maximizes the magnitude of applicable prestressing force. It makes the girder longer and shallower. Two 50 meter long full scale girders were fabricated and tested. One of them was non-spliced, or monolithic girder, made as one piece from the beginning, and the other one was assembled using post-tensioning method from five pieces of segments. It was found from the result that monolithic and spliced girder show similar load-deflection relationships and crack patterns. Girders satisfied specific girder design specification in flexural strength, deflection, and live load deflection control limit. Both spliced and monolithic holed web post-tensioned girders can be used to achieve span lengths of more than 50m with the girder height of 2 m.