Evaluate the Deployment of High Strength Reinforcing Steel in Texas

Recent editions of the AASHTO LRFD Bridge Design Specifications have adopted code updates to implement reinforcing steels with yield strengths up to 100 ksi. In practice, 80 ksi and 100 ksi steels are available and may have variations in cost due to local availability and fabrication cost. Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) has not adopted these higher strength reinforcing steels in practice. Among the reasons include gaining comfort level with implementing new technologies and techniques, potential need for enhanced TxDOT requirements beyond the specifications, and an aversion to passively reinforced structural elements that result in higher reinforcement stress and resultant cracking that might be visually concerning, or a durability concern regardless of allowances in code provision. Researchers will examine the range of pretensioned / post-tensioned / reinforced concrete bridge components and systems typically used in Texas and will identify specific components or areas that would benefit from the use of high strength reinforcement. The research team will conduct example calculations and designs that demonstrate improvements in economy and/or load carrying capacity that might be realized comparing conventional Grade 60 reinforcing, Grade 80 reinforcing, and Grade 100 reinforcing. A specific case of a straddle bent that might be considered for post-tensioned versus conventionally reinforcing concretes will be examined. The researchers will synthesize the range of research and testing conducted on the service-level cracking performance of designs using high strength reinforcing steel and identify potential data gaps in this area. If data gaps exist, develop a testing or analytical program to fill these data gaps to provide additional requirements beyond code-based requirements for implementation in Texas bridge design practice.

• Record URL:
  https://library.ctr.utexas.edu/Presto/project=7090

Language

• English

Project

• Status: Active
• Funding: $1175887
• Contract Numbers:

  0-7090

• Sponsor Organizations:

  Texas Department of Transportation

  125 E. 11th Street
  Austin, TX  United States  78701-2483
• Managing Organizations:

  Texas Department of Transportation

  125 E. 11th Street
  Austin, TX  United States  78701-2483
• Project Managers:

  Dassi, Martin

• Performing Organizations:

  Center for Transportation Research

  3925 W. Braker Lane
  Austin, TX  United States  78759
• Principal Investigators:

  Bayrak, Oguzhan

• Start Date: 20200901
• Expected Completion Date: 20240831
• Actual Completion Date: 0

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Alternatives analysis; Bridge design; Bridge members; Cracking; High strength steel
• Geographic Terms: Texas
• Subject Areas: Bridges and other structures; Design; Highways; Materials;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 01766377
• Record Type: Research project
• Source Agency: Texas Department of Transportation
• Contract Numbers: 0-7090
• Files: RIP, STATEDOT
• Created Date: Mar 2 2021 9:17AM