Investigating the Durability and Resilience of Precast Post-Tensioned Concrete Box Girder Bridges with External Tendons

Precast box girders are often used by DOTs to construct bridges with relatively long spans. The use of either internal or a mix of internal and external post-tensioning (PT) tendons is typical in these bridges to achieve the high strength and limited cracking needed for the bridges to meet the AASHTO design specifications for strength and serviceability limit states. The recent discovery by the Illinois DOT (IDOT) of the fracture of one of the external PT tendons of the I-39 Northbound bridge crossing the Kishwaukee river south of Rockford, Illinois illustrates the vulnerability of these types of bridges. The bridge was constructed in 1979/1980 and external PT tendons were added in 2008. The unexpected fracture of one the tendons raised IDOT’s concerns about the cause of the tendon’s fracture and the vulnerability of other tendons as well as whether the missing of one of the external PT tendons would impact the safety of the bridge. Hence, this Industry Partnership (IP) research project is a collaborative effort between IDOT, TRANS-IPIC researchers, and the consulting firm, Jacobs to investigate through on-site work, experimental testing, and numerical analysis the durability and corrosion resistance of external PT tendons in precast box girder bridges. The project will result in recommendations for IDOT and other State DOTs related to improving the durability and extending the life of precast box girder bridges.

    Language

    • English

    Project

    • Status: Active
    • Sponsor Organizations:

      University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign

      Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering
      Newmark Civil Engineering Laboratory
      Urbana, IL  United States  61801-2352

      Office of the Assistant Secretary for Research and Technology

      University Transportation Centers Program
      Department of Transportation
      Washington, DC  United States  20590
    • Principal Investigators:

      Andrawes, Bassem

    • Start Date: 20240701
    • Expected Completion Date: 0
    • Actual Completion Date: 0
    • USDOT Program: University Transportation Centers

    Subject/Index Terms

    Filing Info

    • Accession Number: 01925263
    • Record Type: Research project
    • Source Agency: Transportation Infrastructure Precast Innovation Center
    • Files: UTC, RIP
    • Created Date: Jul 24 2024 12:44PM