8th ASCE Specialty Conference on Probabilistic Mechanics and Structural Reliability

PMC2000-308

RELIABILITY ANALYSIS OF PRESTRESSED CONCRETE BRIDGE GIRDERS:

COMPARISON OF EUROCODE, SPANISH NORMA IAP AND AASHTO LRFD
A. S. Nowak, F. ASCE
University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109-2125
Nowak@umich.edu
Chan-Hee Park
YonseiUniversity, Seoul, Korea
chpark@yonsei.ac.kr
J.R. Casas
University of Catalonia, Barcelona, Spain
casas@etseccpb.upc.es
Abstract
The objective of this paper is to compare the reliability level of prestressed concrete bridge girders
designed using three codes: Spanish Norma IAP-98 (1998), ENV 1991-3 Eurocode 1 (1994), and
AASHTO LRFD (1998). Typical precast girders used in Spain are considered. Load and resistance
parameters are treated as random variables. The statistical parameters are based on the available literature,
test data and load surveys. Reliability indices are calculated by iterations. The results indicate that
Eurocode is more conservative than the other two codes, and AASHTO LRFD is the most permissive code.

Introduction
Recently, a considerable research effort has been devoted to bridge design and evaluation
in Europe and in North America. However, the work has been carried out independently
according to region-specific conditions. This study focuses on the comparison of the
design codes for prestressed concrete bridge girders. The considered codes are: Spanish
Norma IAP-98, Eurocode ENV 1991-3, and AASHTO LRFD.
Five prestressed concrete bridges are selected. The structures were designed with typical
Spanish precast concrete girders. Spans vary from 20m to 40m and girder spacing varies
from 1.3m to 3.4m. For comparison, three versions of the selected structures are
considered, with the load carrying capacity determined by the amount of prestressing
strands according to Norma IAP-98, ENV 1991-3 and AASHTO LRFD 1994.
The comparison criterion is structural reliability. Load and resistance are treated as
random variables. The statistical models are based on the available literature. Ultimate
limit state of flexural capacity (bending moment) is considered in this study. It should be
noted that the serviceability limit state (tension stress in concrete) usually governs the
design of prestressed concrete bridge girders.

Nowak, Park and Casas

Load Model
The major load components for highway bridges are dead load, live load, dynamic load,
environmental loads (temperature, wind, earthquake), and other loads (collision, braking).
In this study, only the first three are considered. The load models are based on the
available statistical data, surveys, inspection reports, and analytical simulations. The load
variation is described by cumulative distribution function (CDF), mean value or bias
factor (ratio of mean to nominal value), and coefficient of variation.
Dead load is the gravity load due to the self-weight of structural and non-structural
elements permanently connected to the bridge. Three components are considered: D1 =
dead load due to factory made elements (precast concrete), D2 = dead load due to cast-inplace materials (concrete slab), and D3 = dead load due to asphalt overlay. All
components of dead load are treated as normal random variables. The bias factor (ratio
of mean to nominal), = 1.03, and coefficient of variation, V = 0.08, for D1, and = 1.05
and V = 0.10 for D2 (Nowak 1993). For asphalt wearing surface it is assumed that the
mean thickness is 80mm and V = 0.30.
Live load covers a range of forces produced by vehicles moving on the bridge. Truck
surveys indicate that it is strongly site-specific, from geographical region to region, and
even within a region. Both static and dynamic effects of live load are considered in this
study. Effect of live load depends on many parameters including the span length, truck
weight, axle loads, axle configuration, position of the vehicle on the bridge (transverse
and longitudinal), number of vehicles on the bridge (multiple presence), girder spacing,
and stiffness of structural members.
There are considerable differences in the design values of live load specified by the three
codes considered in this study. In the Spanish Code, the design live load consists of three
axles of 200 kN each, superimposed with a uniform load of 4 kN/m2. The design dynamic
load is specified as equal to 15% of the static live load. The design live load in Eurocode
includes static and dynamic components.
AASHTO specifies HL-93 loading which consists of a three axle truck superimposed
with a uniform lane load of 9.3 kN/m. Dynamic load is specified as 0.33 of the truck load
only, with no dynamic load applied to the lane load. AASHTO also specifies the girder
distribution factor (GDF). For moments, GDF is a function of girder spacing, span length
and stiffness of the girder,
S
GDF = 0.075 +
2900

0.6

0.2

Kg

Lt 3
s

0.1

(1)

where S = girder spacing (mm), L = span length (mm), ts = thickness of slab (mm), and
Kg = stiffness parameter.

Nowak, Park and Casas

Lane moments due to live load and dynamic load were calculated for the considered three
codes, and each value was multiplied by the corresponding live load factor, which is 1.50
for the Spanish Code, 1.35 for Eurocode, and 1.75 for AASHTO.
The values of design live load moments per girder were also calculated according to the
considered three codes. Each value corresponds to live load moment per lane (lane width
is 3.6 m) and it is normalized by AASHTO design live load. The live load factors are
included (1.35 for ENV 1991-3, 1.50 for IAP-98 and 1.75 for AASHTO.
The statistical model for live load was derived using the approach developed by Nowak
(1993), Nowak and Hong (1991) and Park at al. (1998). Extreme load effects are
calculated for a one year period. It is assumed that the mean maximum annual live load
follows the extreme type I (Gumbell) distribution. The truck data base was taken from
the available literature and actual field surveys. The live load model in Spain is based on
analytical simulations of the traffic (Crespo and Casas 1997). Two levels of traffic
density were considered, a high volume traffic with an average daily truck traffic (ADTT)
of 6,000 trucks per day (two lanes and one direction) and a low volume traffic with
ADTT of 2,000 trucks per day. The live load model for AASHTO was based on the
truck survey in Ontario, Canada (Nowak 1994). The cumulative distribution functions
(CDF) of the gross vehicle weight (GVW) were prepared for the Spanish and Ontario
traffic.
For each surveyed truck, the maximum lane moment was calculated using influence lines,
for simple span bridges with spans from 20m through 40m. The CDF of moments were
extrapolated to obtain the statistical parameters (the means) of the maximum live load
effect for extended periods of time for Ontario and Spanish trucks. The corresponding
bias factors for the maximum annual lane moment were calculated and the nominal
(design) live load is taken as specified by the AASHTO.
The uncertainty in bridge analysis and girder distribution factor is expressed in terms of a
bias factor, , and coefficient of variation, V. Field measurements indicate that the actual
load distribution is more uniform than what can be analytically predicted. For girder
GLVWULEXWLRQ IDFWRUV EDVHG RQ VLPSOLILHG PHWKRGV (T     DQG 9    )RU
girder distribution factors based on more sophisticated methods, (e.g., finite elements and
JULG DQDO\VLV    DQG 9    5HFHQW ILHOG WHVWV FRQILUPHG WKDW WKH JLUGHU
distribution factor can be treated as a normal random variable (Kim and Nowak 1997)
and (Kim 1996).
The dynamic load, I, can be measured in terms of dynamic load factor (DLF), e.g. as the
ratio of dynamic strain and static strain (or deflection). DLF is a function of three
parameters: road surface roughness, bridge dynamics and vehicle dynamics (suspension
system). The statistical parameters for the dynamic load model were derived analytically
in (Hwang and Nowak 1991) and then they were confirmed by field tests in (Nassif and
Nowak 1995) and (Kim and Nowak 1997). It was observed that DLF decreases for heavy
vehicles. The mean DLF is 0.15 for a single truck and 0.10 for two side-by-side trucks.
The coefficient of variation is 0.80.

Nowak, Park and Casas

Resistance Model
Resistance is a variable representing the load carrying capacity. Resistance can be
affected by uncertainties in strength of materials, dimensions and analysis. For
prestressed concrete girders, the statistical parameters were derived by Nowak, Yamani
and Tabsh (1994),  DQG9 5HVLVWDQFHFDQEHFRQVLGHUHGDVDORJQRUPDO
variable.
The minimum required resistance, Rmin, is defined by each design code, and, for given
loads, D, L and I, and load and resistance factors, it can be calculated from the design
formula,
Rmin = [D D +L/,@!

(2)

where D is dead load factor, LLVOLYHORDGIDFWRUDQG!LVUHVLVWDQFHIDFWRU

Values of load and resistance factors specified in the considered codes are given in Table
1.
Table 1. Load and Resistance Factors

Load & Resistance

Factors

Spanish

Eurocode

AASHTO

.D1
.D2
.D3
.L
3

1.35
1.35
1.35
1.50
0.88

1.35
1.35
1.35
1.35
0.88

1.25
1.25
1.50
1.75
1.00

Reliability Analysis
Reliability analysis is performed for prestressed concrete bridge girders designed
DFFRUGLQJWRWKHFRQVLGHUHGFRGHV&DVDVLQSULQW7KHUHOLDELOLW\LQGH[LVGHILQHGDV
a function of probability of failure, PF , (Melchers 1987 and Thoft-Christensen 1982),
  -1(PF)

(3)

where, -1 is inverse standard normal distribution function.

An iterative procedure is used to calculate the reliability index as described by Rackwitz
and Fiessler (1978) and Nowak (1995). Live load is the most site-specific variable. For

Nowak, Park and Casas

comparison, the computations were carried out for the live load models based on the
Spanish data and Ontario truck surveys. The bias factor for the maximum annual live
load was calculated with the coefficient of variation of 0.18.
Finally, reliability indices corresponding to the considered codes are plotted in Fig.1,
with AASHTO live load model based on the Ontario data, Spanish Code and Eurocode
based on the Spanish data.
Simple Span Moment
9

Reliability Index,

8
7
6
5
4
3

Euro-code
Spain
US-LRFD

2
1
0
0

10

20
30
Span (m)

40

50

Figure 1. Reliability Indices for Region Specific Truck Traffic.

Conclusions
The reliability analysis is performed for prestressed concrete bridge girders designed
according to three codes: Spanish Norma IAP-98, Eurocode and AASHTO. The load and
resistance parameters are treated as random variables, and the statistical parameters are
taken from the available literature, test data and survey results.
The calculated reliability indices vary considerably for the three considered codes. It is
clear that Eurocode is the most conservative one, and AASHTO is the most permissive
FRGH7KHDFWXDOYDOXHRIWKHUHOLDELOLW\LQGH[DUH -IRU(XURFRGH -6.8
IRU6SDQLVK&RGHDQG -4.9 for AASHTO. For the Eurocode and Spanish Code, the
ODUJHVW YDOXHV RI  DUH IRU WKH VSDQ RI P DQG  GHFUHDVHV IRU VKRUWHU VSDQ OHQJWKV
AASHTO provides the most uniform reliability level.
Acknowledgments

The research presented in this paper has been partially sponsored by the NATO
Cooperative Research Program, which is gratefully acknowledged.

Nowak, Park and Casas

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Nowak, Park and Casas