Transverse Strengthening of a Reinforced Concrete T-Girder Bridge with Prestressed Steel Bar: Field Application and Load Test.
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| Title: | Transverse Strengthening of a Reinforced Concrete T-Girder Bridge with Prestressed Steel Bar: Field Application and Load Test. |
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| Authors: | Deng, Ming1 (AUTHOR) dengming@ccsu.edu.cn, Yi, Ju1 (AUTHOR) juyi@ccsu.edu.cn, Zheng, Liansheng2 (AUTHOR) 48671693@qq.com |
| Source: | Journal of Bridge Engineering. Aug2026, Vol. 31 Issue 8, p1-11. 11p. |
| Subjects: | Reinforced concrete, Bridge testing, Structural stability, Finite element method, Reinforcing bars, Continuous bridges |
| Abstract: | The diaphragms in a T-girder bridge serve as critical structural elements for maintaining lateral stability and structural integrity of the bridge. However, the middle diaphragms are particularly susceptible to cracking under vehicular loads, which may impair lateral load transfer and ultimately compromise bridge integrity. This study proposed a transverse strengthening technique that uses prestressed steel bars (PSBs) to enhance the integral mechanical property of an existing reinforced concrete T-girder bridge exhibiting prevalent diaphragm cracks. A finite-element analysis was first conducted to investigate crack initiation mechanisms and determine optimal PSB placement and prestress magnitude. Vehicle load tests were then performed to validate the strengthening effectiveness by quantitatively evaluating the bridge's mechanical performance both before and after reinforcement. Comparison results demonstrated that the PSB transverse strengthening technique could significantly enhance the transverse stiffness of the bridge. The applied prestress not only reduced the crack widths in the diaphragms but also restrained crack propagation. Notably, the load distribution coefficient for directly loaded girders decreased by 17.2% after strengthening, indicating improved load-sharing capacity across the superstructure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] |
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| Database: | Engineering Source |
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