FACULTY OF ENGINEERING

BUILT ENVIROMENT

FINAL YEAR PROJECT

PROPOSAL

TITLE: Segmental Concrete Box Jointing System

SUPERVISOR NAME:

MS SALMA LIZA

STUDENT NAME:

UMANEE DASAN

STUDENT ID:

SCM (020351)

AND

THE

Table of Contents
Chapter 1: Introduction................................................................................................................2
1.1

Background.......................................................................................................................2

1.2

Problem statement.............................................................................................................2

1.3

OBJECTIVES...................................................................................................................3

1.4

SCOPE OF RESEARCH..................................................................................................3

Chapter 2:

Literature review........................................................................................................6

Chapter 3: Methodology..................................................................................................................8
References:......................................................................................................................................9
APPENDIX:..................................................................................................................................10

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Chapter 1: Introduction
1.1 Background
Over the past century, the construction industry has evolved in dealing with most complex
structures. Due to lack of time to deliver the projects, engineers has become with a concept
called construction using segments. That is the concrete segmental boxes are precast to the best
quality- in industries and delivered to site ready to install.
The segmental concrete box is a reinforced concrete in the form of a hollow box which is usually
present in precast form. It is often referred to as a segment. The so called segment has the ability
to hold both tension and compression forces. The concept of using segmental box has become
very common in both normal set up and pre-stressed set up. Segmental constructions are known
as a key to many site problems with greater durability low life cycle costs and quality control
which is already attained.
Once in place, the segments are connected to each other using joints. A joint is an important
component that connects two segments when they are launched; In addition, the joint also allows
shear strength to be transferred between the segmental boxes once they are erected.

1.2 Problem statement

As far as the author knowledge could go, only some research has been done on the method of
jointing the segmental box. Most of the previous research has been varying the different types of
material used in the construction of the segments and also in the joints. Some have tested the dry
joint system with different shear keys while others have been applying epoxy resin to the dry
joints. These researches has emphasized the use of segmental box for bridges and elevated
highways by using post tensioning.
There are different types of jointing systems such as the Dry Joint System as well as the Epoxy
Gluing System. Since 2003 the American Association of State Highway and Transportation
Officials (AASHTO) has banned the use of dry joints due to some testing results. This is due to
the results proving that epoxy is better. Since then, most projects make use of the epoxy glue.
However, despite the use of epoxy glue which is known to be one of the best joint filler-,
accidents have occurred on site, whereby the gluing system did not support the shear strength of
the segments before the post tensioning phase.
Due to a lack of time and resources, this research will focus more on the jointing systems of the
Segmental concrete box that will be placed on proper ground condition. The segmental boxes (1
pair) will be tested with supports at both ends.
This study will be focused on the application of wet joint with shear interlocks. These connectors
are supposed to transfer the shear strength from one segment to the other.
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1.3 OBJECTIVES
Being limited by the time factor, this research will be conducted based on 3 objectives. The key
objectives are:
To investigate the maximum load that can be sustained by the jointing system of the
segmental boxes.
To investigate the behaviour of the different jointing systems under bending and
deflection. The shear reinforcement will be varied on the slab and wall accordingly.
To analyse the change in crack width at different loading.

1.4 SCOPE OF RESEARCH

This study will be focused on the application of wet joint with shear interlocks. These connectors
will be tested for transferring load and allowing movement to take place. They will be calculated
as a lap for the steel bar from the first segment to the second segment.
An experiment will be set up consisting of 5 pair of segmental boxes. The segmental box will be
designed as 2 slabs (upper and lower) and 2 walls (on both sides) which will allow the transfer of
load to the bottom slab. Due to lack of time, the segmental box will be tested without considering
post-tensioning. The first pair will act a control as the segmental boxes will be connected only
with epoxy resin without any shear key. For the remaining pairs of segmental boxes, the shear
interlocking bars will be varied in the slab and wall accordingly.

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RESEARCH DESIGN

LITERATURE REVIEW

METHODOLOGY

PREPARATION OF SEGMENTATAL BOX

APPLICATION OF JOINTS

RECORDING DATA

ANALYSIS OF RESULTS

REPORT WRITING

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GANTT CHART

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RESEARCH DESIGN

METHODOLOGY

FORMWORK AND REBAR

CASTING of SEGMENTAL BOX

APPLICATION of JOINTS

TESTING

ANALYSIS & RESULTS

REPORT WRITING

NOV 2015

DEC 2015

JAN 2016

FEB 2016

Chapter 2: Literature review

Segmental boxes are designed to bear the compressive and tensile forces acting on it. It has the
ability to transfer the loads from the top slab to the base slab through the walls. The loads are
then transferred to the foundations. The bottom slab sometimes needs to be designed to bear the
forces from the ground. There are quite a lot of researches on the concrete segmental box jointing
system; however most of them have been doing a comparative analysis of the jointing system by
varying the use of epoxy for the joints with dry joints under different types of loading and some
of them did vary the number of shear keys.
In 2012, S. Saibabu , V. Srinivas, Saptarshi Sasmal, N. Lakshmanan, Nagesh R. Iyer made an
investigation by evaluating the use of dry and epoxy jointed segmental pre-stressed box girders
under monotonic and cyclic loading. This study explores the experimental research done in
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MAR 20

laboratory conditions using a scaled model of a simply supported precast box-girder bridge deck
which has been post-tensioned. Segmental construction method is used to cast the bridge. Static
and cyclic loading are used to evaluate the performance of box-girders with epoxy and dry joints.
Conclusions drawn from the results suggest that the flexural strength of the epoxy joint is more
than the dry jointed specimen because of a high degree of rotation as well as deflection at
individual joints of segmental girder. Moreover, up to design load, the box girder with dry and
epoxy joints showed similarities to the monolithic beam. However, from the study, it was noticed
that the epoxy jointed specimen in 27% more than the first joint opening load of the dry jointed
specimen because of a lack of resistance to tension between the joints. The epoxy jointed
specimen has a maximum load and failure load of 8.6% and 16.7% more than the dry jointed
specimen, because of a high degree of deflection as well as rotation in the dry jointed specimen
at individual joints. This study aims at understanding the role of the material as well as the type
of joint used on the performance of segmental bridges.
The shear strength and deformation behavior of precast segmental box joints was analysed in a
study done by Buyukozturk and Bakhoum [12]. The study includes the use of flat and keyed
joints with and without epoxy. The joints with epoxy were found to have a higher strength which
is constantly higher than that of dry joints. The failure with epoxy was found to be very sudden
and brittle.
The shear capacity of flat, single and multiple keyed segmental joints was studied by Zhou et al.
[13] both with and without epoxy. The stress level was observed to increase as the confining
pressure is increased. Again the multiple keyed joint with epoxy was found to have higher shear
strength.
The shear capacity of epoxy-jointed single keys using cold and hot weather epoxy types were
examined by Issa and Abdalla [14]. It was observed that the failure mode of all shear-key
specimens is fracture of concrete along the joint with shearing of the key. A better shear capacity
was showed in the hot-weather specimens in comparison to the cold-weather specimens. The test
was conducted without neglecting AASHTO procedures which results in conservative estimates
of the shear strength of the single keyed joint since it neglects the contribution of the epoxy and
underestimates the strength of the key itself.
To study the performance of joints of segmental bridge superstructures, large-scale experimental
investigations were made by Megally et al. [15,16]. it was deduced that opening of an epoxy
glued joint occurs due to cracking of the concrete cover next to to the joint rather than opening of
the epoxy joint itself.
This study aims to explore a finite element method (FEM) analysis of behaviour of segmental
concrete bridges was conducted by J. Turmo, G. Ramosb, A.C. Aparicio. It also focuses on the
response under combined shear and flexure, in service as well as ultimate limit states. The
structural behaviour of simply supported bridges has been simulated using a previously validated
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FEM model. The particular behaviour of the dry joints, the concrete plasticity as well as the
slipping of the prestressing tendons at deviators has been considered in the non-linear and
geometrical model. A model with diagonal cracks was tested to study whether the tensile stresses
detected in the surroundings of the opened joint could reduce the flexural strength. The results
from the crack model indicates that the tensile stress that appear within the segment during
failure are not needed to equilibrate external loads. Theses stresses arise only to make
deformations between the upper flange and the rest of the segment.

This study conducted by Do-Young Moon, Jongsung Sim, Hongseob Oh analysed how a
construction sequence analysis was used to investigate cracks that were present in the bottom
slab of a precast segmental bridge. Three case studies has been analysed in this research. The
analysis revealed that during temporary post-tensioning while joining the segments; excessive
deformation caused cracks. Moreover, effects of the bottom slab thickness, pre-stressing
sequence and position of the pre-stressing anchors was evaluated using a parametric study. The
thickness of the bottom slab as well as the position of pre-stressing anchors affected the
structural behaviour of the girder sections. However, the latter was not affected by the prestressing sequence. The FE analysis and NDT test results have showed that the longitudinal
cracks on the bottom slab were due to excessive tensile stresses during temporary external
prestressing for the bonding of the segments.

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Chapter 3: Methodology
Segmental box are constructed using segments. The segments will be designed as 2 slabs one
which is the top slab and one which will be the bottom slab- and 2 walls which will connect the
two slabs to make one segment. The figure below shows an example of one segment.
The segments will be casted in formwork made of wood. The reinforcement bars will be of
diameter size 10mm. The slab thickness and wall thickness will be both of 100mm. due to lack of
time and resources, the segments will be tested while neglecting the use of post-tensioning.
The casting of the segments will be done in batches of 2 segments at a time. The concrete grade
will be of C30/37. For each batch of concrete, 2cubes and 2 cylinder samples will be taken. 1 set
of cylinder and cube will be tested at 7 days and 1 set of cube and another set will be tested on
28days. This compressive strength test would reassure the concrete batched is of the designed
grade. To ensure that the concrete is of correct water/cement ratio, slump test will be performed
for each batch of concrete. Super plasticisers will be added to the concrete mix to make the
curing process faster or 7 days from date of casting. Curing will be done by keeping the
segmental box covered with humid cloths to reduce the amount of crack due to shrinkage of
concrete. Rebar cage is formed via cutting, bending and fixing of reinforcement bars.
The shear interlocks will be designed as lapping steel bars. One part of the steel bar (200mm)
will be casted in segment A and a hole of another 200mm will be drilled in segment B as shown
in the picture below.
Wet joints will be filled inside the hole in segment B as well as on the overhang steel bar, the
segments may then be connected. At the time of connection, the segments will be placed to the
closest point to the other segment so that the space between the segments is less than 10mm. the
space between the segments will be filled with some resin to ensure that the segments are well
connected to each other.
After 7 days, the segments may now be tested. The arrangement for the testing is shown in the
figure below.
The LVDT will be placed at top of the joint to measure the concrete deformation at maximum
bending moment location. It will be placed at the bottom of the joints to measure crack width at
this particular point as it is known from previous studies that the bottom part of the joint should
endure more cracks. For the deflection measurements, a dial gauge will be places at equal
distances from the joints on the segments.

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References:

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APPENDIX:

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