Abstract:
Many bridges along the Gulf Coast of the United States were damaged by recent hurricanes, and many more are susceptible to similar damage. This research examines performance of common anchorage connection details for AASHTO Type III prestressed concrete girders used by some transportation agencies. Full-scale specimens were fabricated and tested under static and dynamic cyclic load histories using expected maximum loads from previously conducted hydraulic tests of a scale model of a highway bridge. The load effects considered included the vertical uplift force, the horizontal force, combined horizontal and vertical forces, and loading rate effects. The research will provide improved understanding of connection performance, and enable better design details for new bridge construction and for rehabilitation of existing bridges to resist hurricane loads to provide more resilient surface transportation infrastructure.
