Fatigue performance of UHPC bridge deck system with field-cast dovetail joint. (15th June 2021)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Lu, Kaiwei; Xu, Qizhi; Li, Wenchao; Hu, Ye; Wang, Jingquan; Yao, Yiming
• Is Part Of: Engineering structures. Volume 237(2021)
• Publication Date: 2021-06-15
• Subjects: Wet joints -- Ultra-high performance concrete (UHPC) -- Fatigue performance -- Steel wire mesh (SWM) treatment -- Coarse aggregate (CA); Structural engineering -- Periodicals; Structural analysis (Engineering) -- Periodicals; Construction, Technique de la -- Périodiques; Génie parasismique -- Périodiques; Pression du vent -- Périodiques; Earthquake engineering; Structural engineering; Wind-pressure; Periodicals; 624.105
• DOI: 10.1016/j.engstruct.2021.112108
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0141-0296

Abstract

Highlights: The joint using UHPC with coarse aggregates may ensure the fatigue performance. SWM treatment is beneficial to fatigue performance of bridge deck with wet joint. The joint can reduce the effect of overload on fatigue performance of bridge deck. Abstract: The Fifth Nanjing Yangtze River Bridge had adopted accelerated bridge construction utilizing precast systems to connect the prefabricated plate with the cast-in-place ultra-high performance concrete (UHPC) wet joint. Wet joints are prone to crack under fatigue load. In this study, the steel wire mesh (SWM) treatment method was adopted to enhance the interface crack resistance, and add coarse aggregate (CA) to UHPC to reduce cost. Decks were tested under static and fatigue loadings to study the effects of CA, SWM interface treatment, and stress level on fatigue performance. Results indicate that the fatigue performance of wet joints using UHPC with CA was similar to that using regular UHPC. Dovetail wet joints using SWM interface treatment effectively guarantee the bridging effect of the fiber at the interface and disperse fatigue cracks. Overloading affected the fatigue performance, and the fatigue damage was linear to the upper limit of stress when the stress ratio was fixed. Secant stiffness was used to evaluate the fatigue damage of decks, and the calculated damage was in good agreement with the actual bearing capacity loss. This study verified that the innovative dovetail wet joint is practical, economical, and guarantees fatigue performance.