Laboratory and Field Evaluation of a Composite Glue-Laminated Girder to Deck Connection TR-680

The structural capabilities of timber have been widely known for centuries as evidenced by the fact that it has been the primary building material for many generations. Recently, there have been even further improvements to timber construction components as they are now being specially fabricated into highly engineered cross-sections. Unfortunately, the integration and use of these engineered timber materials/sections in bridge construction is still slow to progress, in large part due to the negative perception on timber. The negative perception that timber has obtained, and unfortunately sustained, over the years is in large part due to timber bridges which have performed poorly, not because of material inadequacies, but because of insufficient design and protection and are often related more to serviceability than structural adequacy. When properly designed and protected from elements such as water, insects, and fire, timber is a structural capable, cost-effective, and aesthetically pleasing material suitable for many structural applications. In response to the negative performance and perception of timber bridges in the past, significant research has been completed related to the development of design details, improved preservatives, and advanced engineered concepts. As a result, the performance of these structures has been greatly enhanced; unfortunately, the perceptions of these structures has not been enhanced to the same degree. In the search for additional bridge replacement alternatives, the Buchanan County Engineer has been working with the National Center for Wood Transportation Structures and a timber fabricator to develop the next generation timber bridge. The goal with the development of this concept is to increase the structural efficiency of timber bridges and increase longevity by creating (1) a composite deck-girder system and (2) the application of an epoxy overlay, respectively. If successful, this development has the potential to increase viable bridge options for use on Iowa's roadways. The work proposed here is in support of the Buchanan County project and aimed at providing needed laboratory test results, construction documentation, design documentation, and field performance evaluation. The objective of the project is to aid in the development of the next generation timber bridge by: (1) performing laboratory testing of an innovative, field installed girder to deck connection detail that results in a composite structure; (2) documenting the construction of the Buchanan County Bridge using video and other formats; and (3) performing a field performance evaluation that includes measuring changes in live load response over time and documenting the performance of the thin, epoxy overlay.

Language

• English

Project

• Status: Completed
• Funding: $74992.00
• Contract Numbers:

  TR-680

  ISU proposal # 12839

  Addendum 511

• Sponsor Organizations:

  Iowa Department of Transportation

  800 Lincoln Way
  Ames, IA  United States  50010
• Project Managers:

  Goetz, Vanessa

• Performing Organizations:

  National Center for Wood Transportation Structures

  Iowa State University, 2711 S Loop Srive
  Ames, IA  United States  50010

  Iowa State University, Ames

  Institute for Transportation Studies
  2711 S. Loop Drive, Suite 4700, Program for Sustainable Pavement Engineering and Research (PROSPER)
  Ames, IA  United States  50010-8864

  Iowa State University, Ames

  Bridge Engineering Center
  2711 South Loop Drive, Suite 4700
  Ames, Iowa  United States  50010-8664
• Principal Investigators:

  Phares, Brent

  Hosteng, Travis

• Start Date: 20140701
• Expected Completion Date: 20190228
• Actual Completion Date: 0
• Source Data: RiP Project 36887

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Bridge construction; Bridge decks; Glue; Laminates; Live loads; Structural analysis; Timber construction; Wooden bridges
• Geographic Terms: Buchanan County (Iowa)
• Subject Areas: Bridges and other structures; Construction; Highways; Maintenance and Preservation; I30: Materials;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 01531499
• Record Type: Research project
• Source Agency: Iowa Department of Transportation
• Contract Numbers: TR-680, ISU proposal # 12839, Addendum 511
• Files: RIP, STATEDOT
• Created Date: Jul 25 2014 1:00AM