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Procedia Engineering 14 (2011) 18251829

The Twelfth East Asia-Pacific Conference on Structural Engineering and Construction

Design of Double Composite Bridges using High Strength

Steel
CS Shim1a, JW Whang2, CH Chung3, PG Lee4
1

Department of Civil and Env. Engineering, Chung-Ang University (csshim@cau.ac.kr)

2
IDM Engineering(jwhwang@idm3d.co.kr) (chchung5@dankook.ac.kr)
3
Department of Civil Engineering, Dankook University
4
Steel Structure Research Laboratory, Research Institute of Industrial Science & Technology (pg289@rist.re.kr)

Abstract

High performance steel for bridges (HSB) which has higher performance in tensile, yield strength,
toughness, weldability than common steels has been developed in Korea. HSB800 has a minimum tensile
strength of 800MPa. However, design of long-span steel bridges with high strength steels is limited
because of buckling and fatigue. In this paper, two concepts of composite and hybrid were utilized to
solve the obstacles. Double-composite action in negative moment region was adopted to increase flexural
stiffness of composite sections and to enhance buckling problems of steel plates. Combination of steel
box girders and double-composite truss girders along the length of the bridges was also utilized to enable
the design of longer span bridges. New continuous bridges with more than 100m span length were
designed using the proposed concept and HSB. Effectiveness of each combination was discussed to
suggest recommendations for the design of composite bridges with high performance steels.
2011 Published by Elsevier Ltd. Open access under CC BY-NC-ND license.
KEYWORDS: high performance steel, double composite action, hybrid, box girder, truss girder

1.

INTRODUCTION

High performance steel for bridges (HSB) is a new material for bridge design. Steel box girder bridges
are common types for medium span bridges and concrete box girders or cable supported bridges are used

a
a

Corresponding author: Email: csshim@cau.ac.kr

Presenter: Email: csshim@cau.ac.kr

18777058 2011 Published by Elsevier Ltd. Open access under CC BY-NC-ND license.
doi:10.1016/j.proeng.2011.07.229

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CS Shim et al. / Procedia Engineering 14 (2011) 18251829

for longer span bridges. Even though HSB has higher strength, there are many obstacles to utilize the
strength because of buckling, fatigue, connection and deflection. Double composite action is one of the
solutions for the problems (Kim & Shim 2009, Shim 2005, Shim et al. 2006).
In this paper, a new mixed bridge concept is proposed to lengthen the span length of steel bridges and
to utilize the high strength steel. As shown in Figure 1, a double composite steel truss for negative
moment region and a normal steel box girder for positive moment region are combined. Composite slab
between lower chords enhances the stability of thin plate and deflection of the bridge. Mixed connection
with vertical and horizontal shear studs is designed to obtain composite action between steel members and
concrete slab.

Figure 1: Long-span double composite hybrid truss bridge

2.

HIGH STRENGTH STEEL FOR BRIDGES

There were remarkable improvements of steel production which brought developments of high
performance steel for bridges (HPS) in US, Japan, Europe and Korea. HPS has similar improved strength,
weldability, higher toughness, and better weathering and fabrication characteristics. High strength steel
for bridges (HSB) in Korea is produced by applying thermo-mechanical control process (TMCP) and
optimizing chemical compositions resulted higher tensile strength and no reduction of strength for thick
plate as shown in Figure 2. High toughness of 47J at -20 reduces occurrence of brittle fracture at low
temperature and improves cold-formability. In addition, the low Pcm and Ceq of HSB enhance weldability,
that is, reduce cold cracking and lower preheating temperature.
HSB500 (tensile strength of 500MPa), HSB600 (tensile strength of 600MPa), and HSB800 (tensile
strength of 800MPa) were successfully developed and registered in Korean Industrial Standards (KS D
3868) and added to the new Korean roadway bridge design code as summarized in Table 1. Typical
stress-strain curves for HSB are presented in Figure 3.

(a) Strength

(b) Toughness

(c) Weldability

Figure 2: Performance of HSB

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CS Shim et al. / Procedia Engineering 14 (2011) 18251829

,^

,^

,^

^DW

Figure 3: Stress-strain curves for HSB

Table 1: Design specification on HSB steel
Symbol

Yield
strength

Tensile
strength

Maximum
thickness

Allowable
stress

Allowable shear
stress

Allowable bearing
stress

HSB500

380 MPa

500 MPa

100 mm

230 MPa

135 MPa

345 MPa

HSB600

450 MPa

600 MPa

100 mm

270 MPa

155 MPa

405 MPa

HSB800

690 MPa

800 MPa

80 mm

380 MPa

220 MPa

570 MPa

3.
3.1

DESIGN OF DOUBLE COMPOSITE BRIDGES

Conceptual design

Concept two-span continuous hybrid bridges with span length of 100m, 120m and 150m were designed
according to allowable stress design. HSB was utilized for some parts of the bridge which are subject to
high stress. Steel bridges with high strength steel may have difficulty to satisfy the deflection limit. In
negative moment region, composite slab was designed to connect two lower chords by mixed stud shear
connection. Figure 4 shows the typical sections of upper and lower chord of the truss section.
Relatively low allowable stress of concrete can limit the usage of high strength steel for steel-concrete
composite structures. High strength concrete with more than 40MPa was used for the design. Details of
composite slab were designed according to Composite Plates in bridges in Eurocode 4 (EN 1994-2).
Deflection limit of the steel plate for concrete casting is 0.05hc. Through the conceptual design, hybrid
combinations of different strength of HSB were investigated. Design issues for the experimental
verification were also suggested from the design.
3.2

Connection details

Steel plates in composite slabs between lower chords need to be designed according to Table 2 (EN
1994-2). Instead of stiffeners, shear studs are placed on the steel plates to prevent local buckling as shown
in Figure 5. Where headed stud connectors of diameter d are arranged in such a way that splitting forces

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CS Shim et al. / Procedia Engineering 14 (2011) 18251829

can occur in the direction of the slab thickness, transverse reinforcement should be provided, as shown in
Figure 5, such that the distance ev t 6d (EN 1994-2). For connectors with shear resistance PRd at
longitudinal spacing s, the cross sectional area of reinforcement per unit length should
satisfy Asv t PRd /(3 f sd s ) .
Static and fatigue design of mixed stud shear connection with vertical and horizontal connectors as
shown in Figure 5 was executed according to the previous experimental research by Kim and Shim
(2009). However, it is necessary to verify the empirical equation for high strength steel and high strength
concrete.
&RQFUHWHVODEZLGWK

(a) Upper chord section

(b) Low chord section

Figure 4: Truss section

Table 2: Upper limits to spacings of shear connectors in a composite plate in compression

Transverse to the direction of compressive stress

Outstand flange:
Interior flange:

In the direction of compressive stress

All composite plates:

Class 2

Class 3

14 tH

20 tH

22 tH

25 tH

45 tH

(b) Connection detail

(a) Details of Nantenhach bridge
Figure 5: Details of composite slab between lower chords

50 tH

CS Shim et al. / Procedia Engineering 14 (2011) 18251829

4.

CONCLUSIONS

For the new high performance steel in Korea, a new bridge concept was proposed and several design
examples of hybrid double composite truss bridges were developed. In order to maximize the
effectiveness of HSB, double composite truss in negative moment regions is connected to normal steel
box girders of mid-span and end span.
Details of steel plate to enhance the stability were investigated and hybrid stud shear connection was
adopted for the connection. Requirements for stud spacings, transverse reinforcement and minimum
reinforcement ratio to control cracking were considered in the design. Currently, an experimental program
is performed to verify the design concepts and basic requirements of long span bridges with HSB800.
Acknowledgements
This research was supported by POSCO and the support is gratefully acknowledged.
References
[1]

Eurocode 4 (1994). Design of composite steel and concrete structures. Part 1, General rules and rules for buildings, ENV

[2]

Eurocode 4 (2005). Design of composite steel and concrete structures. Part 2, General rules and rules for bridges, EN 1994-2.

[3]

Kim HH, Shim CS (2009). Experimental investigation of double composite twin-girder railway bridges. Journal of

[4]

Shim CS (2005). Research on the Double Composite Twin-Girder Railway Bridges. Proc. of the 8th Korea-China-Japan

[5]

Shim CS, Kim HH, Lee PG (2006). Design of Continuous Double Composite High-speed Railway Bridges. Proceedings of

1994-2. CEN.
CEN.
Constructional Steel Research, 65(6), June, pp.1355-1366.\
Symposium on Structural Steel Construction, 10.13, pp. 49-58.
7th International Conference on Short & Medium Bridges, August 22~25, Montreal, Canada, pp. ID-043-1~11.

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