FHWA EXPERIMENTAL STUDIES OF CURVED STEEL BRIDGE

BEHAVIOR DURING CONSTRUCTION

D. Linzell 1 S. M. ASCE, A. Zureick 2 M. ASCE, R. T. Leon 2 M. ASCE

Abstract

An overview of a series of full-scale tests of a curved steel bridge

structure during construction is presented. The tests were completed as a
part of the Federal Highway Administration’s (FHWA) Curved Steel Bridge
Research Project (CSBRP). The behavior of single girders and twin and
three girder systems were examined within six different framing plans.

Introduction

Steel girders have become the preferred design choice for complicated
curved bridges because of advantages they offer with regards to fabrication,
erection, and serviceability. However, behavior of these structures is still
not well understood and a need for further research exists. This led to initia-
tion of the Curved Steel Bridge Research Project (CSBRP) by the Federal
Highway Ad ministrati on (FHWA). Its goal is to conduct fundam ental
research into the behavior of curved steel members with the aim of develop-
ing rational design procedures for curved steel bridge structures though
examination of a large-scale experimental system (Zureick et. al., 1997).
This paper briefly summarizes a series of experimental studies com-
pleted during construction of the experimental structure. The tests provided
a unique opportunity to study erection behavior in a laboratory environment.
Six different geometries were tested and each system’s behavior was studied
under its own self weight with various levels of shoring support.

Previous Research

Experimental investigations of the behavior of curved steel bridges

during construction have been quite limited. Some work was done in associ-
ation with The Consortium of University Research Team’s (CURT) project,
which was initiated by FHWA during the late 1960’s and produced the first
AASHTO curved bridge specification in 1980 (AASHTO, 1980). Behavior
of different framing plans was reported for a few of the scale model experi-
ments (Brennan, 1974; Brennan and Mandel, 1979; Mozer et al., 1973) com-
pleted for this project. More recently, a field investigation was performed of
a curved bridge built in Minnesota (Galambos et al., 1996).

1. Graduate Research Assistant, Georgia Institute of Technology, School of

Civil Engineering, Atlanta, GA 30332
2. Professor, Georgia Institute of Technology, School of Civil Engineering
Test Procedure

All construction and testing are conducted in the Structures Laboratory

at FHWA’s Turner-Fairbank Highway Research Center (TFHRC). A repre-
sentative photo of the experimental structure is shown in Figure 1. It con-
sisted of three simply-supported plate girders braced with a series of radial
cross frames. Girder spans ranged from 26.25 m (86’-0 3 / 4 ”) to 28.65 m
(93’-11 1 / 4 ”) along the arc with depths between 125 cm (49 3 / 8 ”) and 133 cm
(52 1 / 2 ”), with G3 being the largest girder. Cross frames were made of five
0.6 cm ( 1 / 4 ”) thick tubular steel members with outer diameters of 12.7 cm
(5”). They were labelled with frames over the abutments designated 1L or
1R, (‘L’ and ‘R’ denoted left and right of mid-span) with the mid-span
frame labelled as cross frame 7. The members were arranged in the shape of
a “V” and tubular sections were chosen to aid instrumentation placement
and to enhance torsional strength. Each girder rested on a spherical bearing
at the abutments and a support frame was attached to the west end of the
middle girder (G2) to provide stability.

1L
7

G1 1R
G3

Figure 1. Erection Study Framing Plan Looking West, Test ES3-1

The structure was constructed from inner to outer girder (G1 to G3).
G1 and G2 were set onto their bearings and the two end cross frames (1L
and 1R) were placed between them. After this system was properly shored,
the first series of erection study tests took place. Additional tests occurred
as cross frames were placed between G1 and G2 and after the entire three
girder system was assembled. Instrumentation consisted of: load cells at the
abutment and shoring locations; vibrating wire strain gages on the girder
flanges and webs; resistance strain gages on the lower lateral bracing, the
tangential support, and each cross frame member; and LVDT’s, potentiome-
ters and tiltmeters at mid-span and over the abutments. In addition to these
instruments a laser measurement system and total station were used to
obtain global deformation data. A schematic of the test configurations is
shown in Figure 2 followed by a brief description of each test procedure.
 ES1-1 to ES1-3 ES1-6

ES1-4, ES2-1 ES2-2

ES1-5
ES3-1

Figure 2. Erection Study Test Configurations

ES1-1 to ES1-3
These three tests investigated single girder behavior during construc-
tion with cross frames 1L and 1R between G1 and G2. G1 and G2 were
shored beneath cross frames 3L, 5L, 7, 5R, and 3R and G1 shoring was peri-
odically removed until it was fully deflected. Another series of testing steps
were then used to return G1 to its initial, shored position.
ES1-4, ES2-1
ES1-4 investigated single girder behavior while ES2-1 examined twin-
girder behavior cross frames 1L, 7, and 1R between G1 and G2. Both girders
were shored at similar locations to tests ES1-1 to ES1-3. ES1-4 proceeded in
the the same manner as the first three tests while ES2-1 followed the lower-
ing portion for G1 with a series of G2 lowering steps. Once all intermediate
shores beneath the G1 and G2 girders had been removed, the structural sys-
tem was returned to its initial, shored position.
ES1-5
ES1-5 examined single girder construction behavior when cross frames
1L, 2L, 2R, and 1R and the lower lateral bracing between G1 and G2 were
in-place. Shoring locations and the testing procedure matched those for the
previous studies.
ES1-6
ES1-6 was the final test that examined single girder behavior and
involved a twin-girder system with six cross frames and the lower lateral
bracing. Testing procedures were unchanged from earlier single girder tests.
ES2-2
The final twin girder investigation involved a framing plan which
included the lower lateral bracing and eight cross frames between G1 and
G2. As had occurred with ES2-1, G1 shoring was sequentially removed fol-
lowed by shoring for G2.
ES3-1
ES3-1 was the last erection study test that examined the behavior of a
three girder system. G3 was lifted onto the abutments and the remaining
cross frames and lower lateral bracing placed. Testing procedures involved:
removal of shoring from beneath all girders, incremental raising and lower-
ing of each girder at mid-span using a single shore, and returning the system
to its initial position.

Summary

This paper presented an overview of a series of experimental investiga-

tions of curved steel bridge construction behavior. The tests were completed
as a part of the CSBRP and constitute the first known laboratory investiga-
tions of a full-scale curved steel bridge structure as it was being built.

Acknowledgments

This work is supported by HDR Engineering through FHWA under

Contract No. DTFH61-92-C-00136. Sheila Duwadi serves as the Contract-
ing Officer’s Technical Representative for FHWA. The technical input of
Dann Hall and Mike Grubb of BSDI and John Yadlosky of HDR have been
invaluable to this investigation. We also greatly acknowledge the assistance
of Bill Wright of FHWA and Joey Hartmann of Construction Technology
Laboratories for their help with this investigation.

References

AASHTO (1980), “Guide Specifications for Horizontally Curved Bridges,”

AASHTO, Washington D.C.

Brennan, P. J. (1974), “Analysis and Structural Testing of a Multiple Con-

figuration Small Scale Horizontally Curved Highway Bridge,” Syracuse
University, Dec.

Brennan, P. J. and Mandel, J. A. (1979), “Multiple Configuration Curved

Bridge Model Studies,” ASCE Jnl. of the Str. Div., May, v105, nST5, pp.
875-890.

Galambos, T. V., Hajjar, J. F., Leon, R. T., Huang, W., Pulver, B. E., and
Rudie, B. J. (1996), “Stresses in Steel Curved Girder Bridges,” Minnesota
Dept. of Trans. Report No. MN/RC-96/28, Aug.

Mozer, J., Cook, J., and Culver, C. (1973), “Horizontally Curved Highway
Bridges – Stability of Curved Plate Girders,” Carnegie Mellon Univ. Report
No. P3, Research Project HPR-2(111), Jan.

Zureick A., Leon, R. T., Burrell, J., and Linzell, D. (1997), “Proceedings -
Innovations in Structural Design: Strength, Stability, Reliability. A Sympo-
sium Honoring Theodore V. Galambos”, SSRC, Minneapolis, MN, June,
pp.179-190.
Key Words: construction, erection, testing, experimental, curved, steel,
girder, bridge, full-scale, superstructure