Optimum Design of Multilayer Asphalt Surfacing Systems for Orthotropic Steel Deck Bridges

Optimum Design of Multilayer Asphalt Surfacing Systems for Orthotropic Steel Deck Bridges

Li, J.

Scarpas, A. (promotor)
Liu, X. (promotor)

Civil Engineering and Geosciences

Structural Engineering

2015-09-14

Orthotropic steel decks are widely utilized in long span bridges, movable bridges and shorter span road and rail bridges due to their favourable properties. These properties are low deadweight, large plastic reserves in case of overload and aesthetic advantages. Nowadays, more than 1000 orthotropic steel deck bridges (OSDBs) have been built in Europe, out of which 86 are in The Netherlands. Asphalt concrete surfacing structures have distinct advantages when compared to alternative surfacing structures: fast installation, good driving comfort, low noise levels, and relatively cheap construction costs. In the Netherlands, an asphaltic surfacing structure mostly consists of two structural layers. The upper layer consists of porous asphalt for noise reduction. For the lower layer guss asphalt is used. In the last three decades, several problems were reported in relation to asphalt surfacing materials on OSDBs such as rutting, cracking, loss of bond between the surfacing system and the steel deck. The severity of the problems is enhanced by the considerable increase in traffic in terms of number of trucks, heavier wheel loads, wide-base tires etc. Over the years, the Ministry of Transport, Public Works and Water Management (RWS) in the Netherlands is facing a growing challenge in maintaining network capacity. Even though the combined length of OSDBs in the primary road network is limited, the consequences of repairs of the steel deck plate or the overlaying surfacing structure to network capacity are dramatic. Unfortunately the service life of asphaltic surfacing structures on OSDBs is limited to an average of 5 years. Thus, improvements of the performance of asphaltic surfacing structures on OSDBs are of the utmost importance. Preliminary investigations have shown that the adhesive strength of the membrane between the surfacing layers and the decks of steel bridges has a strong influence on the structural response of OSDBs. The most important requirement for the application of membrane materials in OSDBs is that the membrane adhesive layer shall be able sufficiently bond the surrounding materials to each other, thus ensuring the structural integrity of the deck. This research project aimed at evaluating the performance of multilayer surfacing systems on steel deck bridges and prolonging the service life. Focus was on membrane performance and the effects hereof on the structure as a whole. The methodology used in this research was a multi-phase approach, which consisted of three study phases at different scales: 1) material scale, 2?section scale and 3) bridge scale. In Phase 1 of this study, a Membrane Adhesion Test (MAT) device was developed at Delft University of Technology for the characterization of the adhesive bonding strength of membranes with the surrounding materials on OSDBs. An adhesive contact interface element developed within the FE package CAPA-3D was utilized for simulating the process of debonding or delamination of membranes from the surrounding materials. A methodology of evaluating membrane products on various substrates by computational and experimental investigations was set up. Several qualified membrane products were chosen for further investigations in Phase 2 and 3. In Phase 2 of the project, four typical Dutch multilayer surfacing systems constructed with the five selected membrane products from Phase 1 were studied by means of five-point bending (5PB) beam tests and FE simulations. The findings of the 5PB beam tests will help for the verification and calibration of the finite element predictions and for the further ranking of the best performance of the multilayer surfacing systems for Dutch OSDBs. In order to study the influence of the geometrical and structural parameters on the performance of the multilayer surfacing system, finite element simulations of 5PB beam tests were performed. Parametric studies were performed by means of the finite element system CAPA-3D. The contributions to the overall system response of the mechanical properties of all the surfacing layers were studied. In the last stage of the work, Phase 3, finite element (FE) simulations of the Merwede Bridge subjected to dual wheel stationary and moving loads are presented. Three cases of load locations have been investigated. All cases were simulated under and respectively. Four different surfacing structures as utilized in the 5PB beam tests were chosen for the FE simulations. The results of the simulations provide a useful guidance regarding the expected maximum strains in the four surfacing structures for two different temperatures. Through those three research stages, a systematic and effective bottom-to-top design approach of multilayer surfacing systems for OSDBs has been established.

orthotropic steel decks
membrane
multilayer surfacing systems
CAPA-3D

https://doi.org/10.4233/uuid:ff3b6453-8f88-4926-ad58-bbe031117cf6

978-94-6203-874-5

Institutional Repository

doctoral thesis

(c) 2015 Li, J.