Stability of Precast/Prestressed

Concrete Bridge Girders

Roy L. Eriksson, P.E. - Eriksson Technologies, Inc.

PCEF Committee - August 20, 2015, Raleigh, NC
Copyright 2015 Eriksson Technologies, Inc.

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Roy Eriksson, PE
Roy L. Eriksson, P.E., is President of Eriksson
Technologies, Inc. Based in Tampa with a branch
office in Denver, Eriksson is a full-service
structural engineering firm with special expertise
in the precast/prestressed concrete market. Roy
has over 30 yrs experience in structural
engineering with extensive design and detailing
experience in precast/prestressed concrete.
Eriksson Technologies has a practice group
devoted to fabricator support. Eriksson@LRFD.com

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Stability Overview
Girder Stability: Who is Responsible?
Stages in the Life of a Girder
Types of Stability
Brief Overview of Theory
Lifting Hardware
Ways to Improve Stability
Stakeholder Roles & Responsibilities

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Stability: Whos Responsible?
Owner?
Engineer of Record?
Fabricator?
Trucking Company?
Erector?
Contractor?

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Stages in the Life of a Girder
Release of Prestress
Lifting Girder from Bed
Moving Girder to Storage
Storing Girder
Hauling Girder
Erection
Erected Girder

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Stages in the Life of a Girder

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Stages in the Life of a Girder

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Stages in the Life of a Girder

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Stages in the Life of a Girder

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Stages in the Life of a Girder

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Stages in the Life of a Girder

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Lateral Stability
Two basic cases:
- Hanging beams
- Supported beams
This presentation deals with hanging beams
Lateral Stability of Long Prestressed Concrete
Beams (Mast 1989)
- Lateral bending stability of beams
- Not lateral-torsional buckling, as with steel
beams

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Lateral Stability
Torsional stiffness of prestressed concrete beams
>> steel beams
Therefore, assume P/S beams are torsionally rigid
Lateral bending stability of beams
For P/S beams, we are mainly concerned with:
- Statical equilibrium of the system
- Ability of the beam to resist lateral bending
Cracking
Flexural strength

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Theory of Stability
Roll Axis
Roll Equilibrium
Factors of Safety

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Roll Axis
Between Lift Points
CG Under Roll Axis

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Roll Equilibrium

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Factors of Safety

FS against cracking: 1.0

FS against failure: 1.5

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Factors Influencing Stability - Lifting
Type of girder
Girder length
Lifting points
Amount of prestress
Material Properties

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Factors Influencing Stability - Transport
Type of girder
Girder length
Amount of prestress
Material Properties
Truck type, properties
Roadway geometry

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Lifting Hardware
Strand lifters
Commercially available lifters
Special Hardware

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Strand Lifters
Pros Cons
Inexpensive Deterioration
Readily available Fabrication tolerance
- Typically made in- Placement tolerance
plant
Load distribution to
Variable sizing:
each lifter
- Variable stand dia.
- # strands/lifter
- # lifters/end

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Strand Lifters

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Commercial Lifters
Pros Cons
Reliable Higher cost
Corrosion Somewhat limited
resistant capacity

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Special Hardware
Pros Cons
Corrosion resistant Requires coordination
High capacity with designer
Quick connect Engineered system

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Improving Stability
Adjust lift point location
Raise roll axis
Add top strands
Brace top flange
Increase fc
Increase Iyy (i.e., change beam)

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Move Lift Points
Reduces distance between roll axis and CG
Easiest, most effective
Need to check stresses!

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Raise Roll Axis
Raise roll axis above the top of the girder
Requires special hardware

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Add Top Strands
Add 2 to 6 strands to top flange
Can be pretensioned to post-tensioned
Strands can be fully or partially stressed
Add mid-span debonding if necessary to
pretensioned strands
Coordinate with EOR!

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Add Top Strands

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Add Top Strands

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Allowable Stresses
Allowable tension
Allowable compression
What are appropriate limit?
EOR vs. fabricator
Impact factors

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Impact Factors
Handling in yard
- Under fabricators control
- Range: 1.00 1.20
During transport
- Dependent upon many variable
Higher speed
Variable road condition
- Range: 1.20 1.50
Truck
Barge
Rail

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Brace Top Flange
Bolt a transversely-oriented steel truss to top
flange of girder
Increases lateral stiffness
Labor-intensive
Last resort

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Rigging
Single-crane pick
Two-crane pick

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PCI Resources
PCI Girder Stability Subcommittee
- Glenn Myers, P.E., Chair
Lateral Stability Guidelines for Prestressed
Concrete Girders
Excel Spreadsheet Tool
Upcoming Training
William N. Nickas, P.E.
- Managing Director, Transportation Systems

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Questions?
Eriksson@ LRFD.com

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