Response of Highway Bridges to Nonlinear Temperature Distributions

Potgieter, I.C.; Gamble, W.L.

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https://hdl.handle.net/2142/14113 Copy

Description

Title

Response of Highway Bridges to Nonlinear Temperature Distributions

Author(s)

• Potgieter, I.C.
• Gamble, W.L.

Issue Date

1983-04

Keyword(s)

• Prestressed concrete
• highway bridges
• Thermal analysis

Abstract

The effects of nonlinear temperature distributions resulting from solar radiation on highway bridge decks are investigated. A finite-difference heat flow-model w~s developed and used to determine the distributions of temperatures to be expected in various highway bridge structures, and the general validity of the model was established by means of comparisons between measured and predicted temperature distributions in the Kishwaukee River Bridge, a large box girder structure. Weather data from 26 stations in the United States were studied in order to determine the limiting values of probable temperature differences over the depths of girders in different geographical regions, with important differences being found between sea coast areas and desert areas. The bending moments induced in various continuous bridges were studied, with the aim of isolating the most critical cases. It was found that the positive bending moments caused by nonlinear temperature distributions were of the same general magnitude as the positive moments due to live loads in many structures. Recommendations about design are made, as are recommendations for additional study of some factors relating to the design process.

Publisher

University of Illinois Engineering Experiment Station. College of Engineering. University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.

Series/Report Name or Number

Civil Engineering Studies SRS-505

Type of Resource

text

Language

en

Permalink

http://hdl.handle.net/2142/14113

Sponsor(s)/Grant Number(s)

State of Illinois Department of Transportation

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