Design of Existing Simple Span Bridges Made Continuous

摘要

Eliminating expansion joints from existing simple span bridges is recommended to reduce maintenance costs or enhance bridge performance. Different simple span connection techniques as well as abutment joint elimination are investigated. Data from three typical Rhode Island bridges are used for the study. For shorter spans a continuous deck and a steel plate connecting the top flanges of the adjacent girders works well, in the case of a bridge with 57 feet long adjacent spans, the webs had to also be connected. Asphaltic plugs were also studied using a series of finite element analyses and limited laboratory tests for rutting susceptibility of the APJ. The most signficant distresses of asphaltic plugs under warm temperatures is rutting and under cold temperatures cracking, debonding, and disintegration.