2013 Session: 401

• Improving Welded Joint Fatigue Life Using Shot Peening or Grinding
  Abstract: Steel structures are mainly prone to two types of degradation: corrosion and fatigue particularly in the case of welded structures. The presented work aims at investigating two treatment methods to increase the fatigue life expectancy of welded steel joints in civil engineering structures. It includes both numerical and experimental investigations and is interested in the use of grinding and shot peening. As far as experimental investigations are concerned, for both treatment methods and for untreated samples, the stress concentration coefficients are determined, surface residual stresses are measured using X-ray diffraction and fatigue tests are conducted. The results allow explaining for both methods the observed improvements in fatigue behaviour. As far as numerical investigations are concerned, the presented work concerns the use of a finite element model to simulate welding process. This allows the determination of residual stresses due to welding operation and their comparison with the former experimental measures. Results are satisfactory enough, and, though some improvements regarding the initial stress state and the modelling are still under progress, it should be used in a following study to model treatment operations to get a better understanding of their potentiality and the parameters that affect their efficiency.
  Authors: Chataigner, Sylvain; Dieng, Lamine; Guiot, Kevin; Grasset, Michel
  Authors: Chataigner, Sylvain; Dieng, Lamine; Guiot, Kevin; Grasset, Michel
  Year: 2013
  Document Type: Paper
  Subject: Bridges and Other Structures; Maintenance and Preservation; Materials
  Session: 401
  Paper Number: 13-2448
• Data Fusion for Multiple-Sensor Nondestructive Evaluation on Concrete Bridge Deck
  Abstract: Corrosion of buried reinforcing steel in concrete bridge decks is one of the dominant damage types in terms of overall bridge maintenance costs. Early-stage detection, location and assessment of corrosion can significantly reduce the damage progression and maintenance costs. This study aims to assess and improve the ability of various nondestructive evaluation (NDE) methods to detect the early stages of corrosion. This paper presents the techniques to apply data fusion on two NDE methods – ground penetrating radar and half-cell potential. Fusing data from multiple NDE methods may result in better and more accurate evaluation of active corrosion.
  Authors: Cui, Jianhong; Huston, Dryver Roy; Arndt, Ralf
  Authors: Cui, Jianhong; Huston, Dryver Roy; Arndt, Ralf
  Year: 2013
  Document Type: Paper
  Subject: Bridges and Other Structures; Maintenance and Preservation; Materials
  Session: 401
  Paper Number: 13-3115
• Field Monitoring of Fatigue Crack on Highway Steel I-Girder Bridge
  Abstract: This paper presents a field test program for fatigue crack monitoring on a steel I-girder bridge located in a busy highway route in Maryland. Acoustic emission (AE) monitoring of an existing fatigue crack on the connection plate was performed using piezoelectric film AE sensor and laser sensor was used to continuously measure the differential deflection between two adjacent girders. The triggered AE signals measured by the piezoelectric film AE sensors are presented and are believed to be associated with fatigue crack related AE events.
  Authors: Zhang, Yunfeng; Zhou, Changjiang; Fu, Chung C.; Zhou, Ed
  Authors: Zhang, Yunfeng; Zhou, Changjiang; Fu, Chung C.; Zhou, Ed
  Year: 2013
  Document Type: Paper
  Subject: Bridges and Other Structures; Maintenance and Preservation; Materials
  Session: 401
  Paper Number: 13-4097
• Rapid Displacement Monitoring Using Wireless Hybrid Sensor on In-Service Highway Bridge
  Abstract: Condition assessment and monitoring of bridges is critical for safe passenger travel, public transportation, and efficient freight. One of the most important parts of a bridge is the expansion joint, which accommodates continuous cyclic thermal expansion of the whole bridge. Conventionally, the displacement of the expansion joints is measured using wired sensors including LVDT, laser displacement transducer, etc. However, implementation of the wired displacement sensors is expensive due to the high cost of the data acquisition system, and time consuming cable installation. To overcome the challenges, a wireless smart sensor network (WSSN) has recently drawn significant attention as an alternative for transportation infrastructure monitoring. The main merits of WSSN are low cost, wireless communication capability, and versatile on-board computation. In this paper, a rapid wireless displacement monitoring system has been developed. This system, named wireless hybrid sensor (WHS), combines a high-resolution analog displacement sensor, a microprocessor, and a wireless multi-scale sensor board for accurate displacement monitoring. The WHS has been calibrated for both static and dynamic displacement measurement in the laboratory environment, and deployed on an in-service highway bridge to demonstrate rapid expansion joint monitoring. The test-bed is a continuous steel girder bridge, the Founders Bridge, in East Hartford, Connecticut. Using the WHS system, the static and dynamic displacement of the expansion joint has been successfully measured. With the WHS system, approximately 6% of the time was spent on installation and 94 % for the measurement.
  Authors: Jang, Shinae; Dahal, Sushil; Li, Jingcheng
  Authors: Jang, Shinae; Dahal, Sushil; Li, Jingcheng
  Year: 2013
  Document Type: Paper
  Subject: Bridges and Other Structures; Maintenance and Preservation; Materials
  Session: 401
  Paper Number: 13-4110
• Replacing Thermal Sprayed Zinc Anodes on Cathodically Protected Steel Reinforced Concrete Bridges: Experimental and Modeling Studies
  Abstract: This research aimed to address questions underlying the replacement of arc-sprayed zinc anodes on cathodically protected steel reinforced concrete bridges and to develop a protocol to prepare the concrete surface for the new anode through a combination of laboratory test and modeling studies. To achieve strong initial bond strength of new zinc to the existing bridge concrete, the current operating configuration (#8 nozzle with high sand volume) is too aggressive and should be changed to #6 nozzle with low sand volume to achieve target RMS macro-roughness of 1.2-2.1 centi-inches and micro-roughness of 0.014-0.02 centi-inches. It is recommended to adjust the anode removal and surface profiling based on the electrochemical age of the existing concrete. Wherever possible, large aggregates (e.g., diameters ¾ in. and bigger) should be avoided for exposure by surface profiling. For non-electrochemically aged concrete, profile the surface to achieve a RMS macro-roughness of 1.1-1.8 centi-inches and 5-36% exposed aggregates. For existing concrete with relatively high electrochemical age (14 yrs), profile the surface to achieve a RMS macro-roughness of 1.1-1.5 centi-inches and 44-55% exposed aggregates.
  Authors: Shi, Xianming; Li, Yongxin; Cross, Doug; Ewan, Levi; Fortune, Keith; Soltesz, Steven M.; Jungwirth, Scott
  Authors: Shi, Xianming; Li, Yongxin; Cross, Doug; Ewan, Levi; Fortune, Keith; Soltesz, Steven M.; Jungwirth, Scott
  Year: 2013
  Document Type: Paper
  Subject: Bridges and Other Structures; Maintenance and Preservation; Materials
  Session: 401
  Paper Number: 13-4543
• Monitoring and Assessment of Concrete Deck Cracking Potential in Negative Moment Regions
  Abstract: Replacement of concrete decks is usually achieved using staged construction techniques to avoid causing disruption to the traveling public. Trucks traveling in traffic lanes adjacent to fresh concrete pours increase the cracking potential of concrete decks as was observed upon completion of the first stage of construction of a highly skewed continuous span bridge located on the New Jersey Turnpike. The majority of the observed cracks occurred right after construction and was centered in the negative moment region. Many questions were raised to understand the type and causes of these cracks. The purpose of this study was to investigate the behavior of the bridge using non-destructive testing and evaluation methods. Strain gauges were embedded in the concrete slab during the pour of the southbound half of the bridge. Material samples were collected to measure the mechanical properties of the concrete slab. A finite element model of the bridge was developed to simulate its overall behavior. The model was validated using a static load test performed on the structure. Thereafter, live load analyses were performed using the 3-D model. It was found that the strength of the concrete mix used was inadequate to support the imposed live load stresses at an early age in addition to shrinkage and temperature strains. Based on FE analysis and simulation, a solution was proposed to modify the High Performance Concrete (HPC) mix to a High Early Strength (HES)-HPC mix that exhibited a reduction in cracking potential of the bridge deck compared to an HPC mix.
  Authors: Nassif, Hani; Adediji, Ope; Su, Dan; Lou, Peng; Johnsen, W. Scott
  Authors: Nassif, Hani; Adediji, Ope; Su, Dan; Lou, Peng; Johnsen, W. Scott
  Year: 2013
  Document Type: Paper
  Subject: Bridges and Other Structures; Maintenance and Preservation; Materials
  Session: 401
  Paper Number: 13-4665
• Analysis of Texas Superheavy Load Criteria for Bridges
  Abstract: The number of permits for superheavy loads crossing Texas bridges has steadily increased over the years, and, compared with several other states, the criteria that establish superheavy-load status is generous. The result is that many Texas bridges experience routine, high-stress loads that cause accelerated deterioration. In this study, bridge load and rating factors and the validity of the criteria for establishing superheavy load status are evaluated. The primary objective of this study was to evaluate Texas Superheavy load criteria for bridges. To accomplish this, field tests for the response behavior of a bridge subjected to overweight vehicles and parametric study using finite element analysis were utilized to extract bridge criteria triggers. The field calibrated solid model and related parametric study show that the Texas superheavy load criteria are valid for the study bridge type. Bridge rating, using the distribution factors determined in the study, show that the bridge has much reserve capacity, even with short 230 kip and longer 311 kip superheavy loads applied. The parametric study using finite element modeling shows that the criteria adequately protect this bridge type. Because the criteria are based on TxDOT’s prior permitting, a graphical version of the criteria might serve TxDOT and carriers better than does the gross vehicle weight limits alone. Data collected long term of frequency and load level from a relevant bridge would help TxDOT determine what effects stress level variations have on the life of Texas bridges.
  Authors: Chang, Byungik; Bourland, Mark Cleve; Couch, Todd; Zou, Hao
  Authors: Chang, Byungik; Bourland, Mark Cleve; Couch, Todd; Zou, Hao
  Year: 2013
  Document Type: Paper
  Subject: Bridges and Other Structures; Maintenance and Preservation; Materials
  Session: 401
  Paper Number: 13-4119
  Practice-Ready: Yes
• Economic Evaluation of Commercial Remote Sensors for Bridge Health Monitoring
  Abstract: The Michigan Tech Transportation Institute (MTTI) and Michigan Tech Research Institute (MTRI), in cooperation with the Center for Automotive Research (CAR) and the Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT), have completed research that investigates the use of remote sensing technologies to assess and monitor the condition of bridge infrastructure. This study was funded largely by the USDOT Research and Innovative Technology Administration as part of an effort to improve the efficiency and cost-effectiveness of bridge inspection, repair, and rehabilitation efforts. Remote sensing technologies were correlated with in-place sensors and traditional inspection methods to obtain bridge condition assessment data and evaluate them as part of an integrated decision support environment to move them toward practical use in structural health monitoring. As part of the overall effort, CAR researchers conducted an evaluation of the cost-effectiveness of a broad deployment of remote sensing techniques for bridge condition assessment and a decision support system (DSS) for bridge infrastructure management. After background research, laboratory testing, field demonstration, and interviews with bridge inspection experts, three technologies emerged as having the most potential for cost-effective implementation: 3D Optical Bridge Evaluation System (3DOBS), Thermal Infrared Imagery (ThIR), and Ultra Wide Band Imaging RADAR System (UWBIRS). The researchers conclude that investment in remote sensing technologies for bridge health monitoring can enhance technical performance of bridge inspection and improve the resource allocation decision process for transportation agencies. Use of these technologies can be especially beneficial when combined with a decision support system (DSS), such as that developed by the research team.
  Authors: Hong, Qiang; Wallace, Richard; Ahlborn, Theresa M.; Brooks, Colin Neil; Dennis, Eric Paul; Forster, Mike
  Authors: Hong, Qiang; Wallace, Richard; Ahlborn, Theresa M.; Brooks, Colin Neil; Dennis, Eric Paul; Forster, Mike
  Year: 2013
  Document Type: Paper
  Subject: Bridges and Other Structures; Maintenance and Preservation; Materials
  Session: 401
  Paper Number: 13-3978
  Practice-Ready: Yes
• Economic Evaluation of Commercial Remote Sensors for Bridge Health Monitoring
  Authors: Hong, Qiang
  Authors: Hong, Qiang
  Year: 2013
  Document Type: Presentation; Poster
  Subject: Bridges and Other Structures; Maintenance and Preservation; Materials
  Session: 401
  Paper Number: 13-3978
• Rapid Displacement Monitoring Using Wireless Hybrid Sensor on In-Service Highway Bridge
  Authors: Jang, Shinae
  Authors: Jang, Shinae
  Year: 2013
  Document Type: Presentation; Poster
  Subject: Bridges and Other Structures; Maintenance and Preservation; Materials
  Session: 401
  Paper Number: 13-4110
• Monitoring and Assessment of Concrete Deck Cracking Potential in Negative Moment Regions
  Authors: Su, Dan
  Authors: Su, Dan
  Year: 2013
  Document Type: Presentation; Poster
  Subject: Bridges and Other Structures; Maintenance and Preservation; Materials
  Session: 401
  Paper Number: 13-4665
• Analysis of Texas Superheavy Load Criteria for Bridges
  Authors: Chang, Byungik
  Authors: Chang, Byungik
  Year: 2013
  Document Type: Presentation; Poster
  Subject: Bridges and Other Structures; Maintenance and Preservation; Materials
  Session: 401
  Paper Number: 13-4119