• Journal of the Korea institute for structural maintenance and inspection
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• v.7 no.2
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• pp.247-261
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• 2003

The technique of posttensioning has been used successfully to improve the performance of existing concrete structures. However, very few applications of this technique can be found in steel structures. Posttensioning by means of high strength cable or bar can be used to effectively increase the working load capacity of Truss Bridges. The benefits of posttensioning trusses can be achieved in strengthening of existing structures as well as in the design of new structures. In this paper, the elastic behavior of posttensioned trusses with straight and draped tendon profiles is examined. For the analysis of posttensioned trusses in the elastic range of behavior, two methods are presented, namely, the flexibility method and the mixed-method, i.e., a combination of the stiffness and flexibility methods. Using the presented methods, the effects of design variables such as the tendon profile, truss type, prestress force, and tendon eccentricity on the working load and deflection of trusses are studied. The results show that the allowable load of truss increases proportionally with increase in prestress force and eccentricity. Posttesioning enlarges the elastic range, increases redundancy, and reduces deflection and member stresses. Thus, the remaining life of a truss bridge can be increased relatively inexpensively.

• Computers and Concrete
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• v.24 no.4
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• pp.303-311
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• 2019

The depth of superstructure is the summation of the height of girders and the thickness of the deck floor. In this study, it is aim to determine the maximum span length of girders and minimum depth of the superstructure of prestressed concrete I-girder bridge. For this purpose the superstructure of the bridge with the width of 10m and the thickness of the deck floor of 0.175m, which the girders length was changed by two meter increments between 15m and 35m, was taken into account. Twelve different girders with heights of 60, 75, 90, 100, 110, 120, 130, 140, 150, 160, 170 and 180 cm, which are frequently used in Turkey, were chosen as girder type. The analyses of the superstructure of prestressed concrete I girder bridge was conducted with I-CAD software. In the analyses AASHTO LRFD (2012) conditions were taken into account a great extent. The dead loads of the structural and non-structural elements forming the bridge superstructure, prestressing force, standard truck load, equivalent lane load and pedestrian load were taken into consideration. HL93, design truck of AASHTO and also H30S24 design truck of Turkish Code were selected as vehicular live load. The allowable concrete stress limit, the number of prestressed strands, the number of debonded strands and the deflection parameters obtained from analyses were compared with the limit values found in AASHTO LRFD (2012) to determine the suitability of the girders. At the end of the study maximum span length of girders and equation using for calculation for minimum depth of the superstructure of prestressed concrete I-girder bridge were proposed.

• Geomechanics and Engineering
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• v.10 no.6
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• pp.737-755
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• 2016

The load transfer depth of a ground anchor is the minimum length required to transfer the initial prestressing to the grout column through the bonded part. A thorough understanding of the mechanism of load transfer as well as accurate prediction of the load transfer depth are essential for designing an anchorage that has an adequate factor of safety and satisfies implicit economic criteria. In the current research, experimental and numerical studies were conducted to investigate the load transfer mechanism of ground anchors based on a series of laboratory and field load tests. Optical FBG sensors embedded in the central king cable of a seven-wire strand were successfully employed to monitor the changes in tensile force and its distribution along the tendons. Moreover, results from laboratory and in-situ pullout tests were compared with those from equivalent case studies simulated using the finite difference method in the FLAC 3D program. All the results obtained from the two proposed methods were remarkably consistent with respect to the load increments. They were similar not only in trend but also in magnitude and showed more consistency at higher pullout loading stages, especially the final loading stage. Furthermore, the estimated load transfer depth demonstrated a pronounced dependency on the surrounding ground condition, being shorter in hard ground conditions and longer in weaker ones. Finally, considering the safety factor and cost-effective design, the required bonded length of a ground anchor was formulated in terms of the load transfer depth.