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REMEDIAL MEASURES FOR CRACKED WEBS OF PRESTRESSED CONCRETE BRIDGES

Walter H. Dilger
Associate Professor Department of Civil Engineering The University of Calgary Calgary, Alberta Canada

Amin Ghali

Professor Department of Civil Engineering The University of Calgary Calgary, Alberta Canada

Conditions which lead to the severe cracking of the webs of a continuous post-tensioned box-girder bridge and the measures adopted to repair this damage are described. It is shown analytically why the webs cracked under the applied prestressing. The authors conclude that the full strength and serviceability of the bridge were restored by the remedial measures adopted.

During construction of a continuous box girder bridge, the webs were severely cracked by prestressing. The six spans were built in three stages (see Fig. 1): In Stage 1 the central spans 3 and 4 were constructed with cantilevers extending approximately L/6 from the piers. In Stage 2 the spans 1 and 2 were cast and in the last stage the remaining spans were fabricated. To make the bridge fully continuous, the cables were spliced near the joints. Splicing of the cables required substantial changes of the initially assumed cable profiles in the cantilevers resulting in high tensile stresses. Cracking occurred along the cables in the over76

hanging cantilevers during or shortly after prestressing in Stage 1.


GENERAL DESCRIPTION

The 827 ft long bridge is curved in plan and supported by parallel pier walls. This resulted in skew angles between the bridge and the pier axes varying from 90 deg at the north support to 45 deg at the south support. The bridge is 67 ft 4 in. wide and has the cross section shown in Fig. 2. A total of 12 cables, three in each outside web, two in each inside web, are used with an initial prestressing force of 798 kips each. The thickness

Walter H. Dilger

Amin Ghali

of the bottom slab is 6 in. in the middle part of the spans and increases to 14 in. at the intermediate supports. The deck slab is post-tensioned transversely. An orthogonal net of reinforcement is placed in all the component parts of the cross section. The shear reinforcement in the 18 in. webs consisted of s/s in. bars at 18 in. on centers. The design concrete strength was 5000 psi; the actual strength, however, was approximately 6000 psi.

FORCES AND STRESSES IN CRACKED WEBS

The computation of the forces and stresses is demonstrated for the most severely cracked web (Web No. 1 of the south cantilever, Stage 1). The tendon profiles and the resulting shears are shown in Fig. 3 together with the shear forces due to dead load in Stage I and the final stage.

AMEN

SrQCe 2
1
c _ STAGE 1

S^aNO^^^^N^^
PgU, E`^^R

SP aN

^QA

Fig. 1. Plan PCI Journal/July-August 1974

of

bridge. 77

OD

In computing the shears due to prestressing, the effect of the skew on the interconnection between the various webs is not considered. The maximum shear force due to prestressing of Stage 1 is 848 kips, at distance 10 ft from the pier. This force is reduced by dead load to 810 kips. The resulting shear stress distribution is shown in Fig. 4b. In computing the shear stresses, the reduction of the web width by the ducts was considered and resulted in a significant stress increase. With an effective web width of b' = 10 in. at the level of the two parallel tendons (see Fig. 4a) and the cross-sectional properties I = 87.0 ft4, Q = 19.8 ft3, the maximum shear stress was:
_VQ_ 810X19.8 (Ty)max Ib' 87.0 x 10 x 12

N.

w
W W

= 1.55 ksi The normal stresses due to prestressing and dead load are shown in Fig. 4c. In addition to the shear and normal forces, considerable radial forces were exerted by the tendons which contributed to the high principal tensile stresses in the webs. To find the radial forces and to approximately evaluate the resulting stresses, consider the portion of the beam shown in Fig. 5a. The radial force per unit length is:
R = P(do/ds)

w I-

p U)

o
z

U o

o Q
U ^ W

a
U

o v

Fig. 2. Cross section through bridge deck.

where P is the prestressing force of the cable and d4 /ds is the change in curvature per unit length (0.01134 and 0.00917 radians per in. for Cables 4 and 5, respectively). Because the structure is curved in plan (see Fig. 1), the cables also have curvature in the horizontal plane. Here only the curvature in the plane of the webs is considered, but it should be noted that the horizontal curvature can be important in some cases. The radial forces due to the curvature in the plane of the web create, in

78

Z 0 2010"

PIER 2

STAGE 2 STAGE

10.01,

CABLE INTRoDuCED INS

:iiiiiii:::721i' / O
1 4'
0" I 40" 14 0" I 4'0" I 4'0"

63/2 DISTANCE FROM CABLE # 3' 24 243/4 3/4 331/4 51 61 I/4 BOTTOM FACE 4 56 391/2 51 47 3/4 63 !2 TO CABLE 61 1/4 631/2 CENTRE LINE (in.) 5; 9 14 9 29 56

(b) SHEAR FORCE DUE TO DEAD LOAD OF CANTELEVER

^-75K

(c) SHEAR FORCE D' STAGE I PRESTR (CABLES 3,4,5;

OD co OD

(d) SHEAR FORCE DUE TO DEA LOAD, STAGE 2 (260K (e) SHEAR FORCE DUE TO STAGE 2 PRESTRESSING 421 K ADJUSTMENT (CABLE 2) FOR TRANSITION ZONE 2'-10' (SEE REF. I "TRANSITION ZONE(-d/2)

-192K

Fig. 3. Tendon profiles and shear forces in Web 1 of south cantilever.

the transverse direction (parallel to yaxis; Fig. 5a), compression on the concave and tension on the convex side of the tendon, The tensile stresses are computed on the assumption that the vertical force
PCI Journal/July-August 1974

is distributed across the depth as indicated in Figs. 5b and 5c for Tendons 4 and 5. This assumption is based on the reasoning that a load of intensity q per unit length applied to the top of a beam would result in a vertical com79

00 0

SECTION AT DISTANCE 10 FROM PIER 2 WITH LOCATION OF CABLES

NORMAL SHEAR STRESSES STRESSES


rxy ox

VERTICAL STRESSES (DUE TO RADIAL FORCES) o-y

PRINCIPAL TENSILE STRESSES of

CABLES 3a4 m n 0

+0.30 LI +O.31

4" CABLE 5

I (a)

IL 0.4 0.8 (k.s.i:) (b1

-1.2 -0.8 -0.4 (k.s.i.) (c)

COMPRESSION TENSION I_ I I +0.4 (k.s.i.) -0.4 (d)

1.2 0.4 0.81.6 (k.s.i.) (e)

Fig. 4. Stress components and principal tensile stresses of most highly stressed web section. (Web I of south cantilever ai distance 10 ft from Pier 2).

SHEAR

INTENSITY OF TRANSVERSE FORCES IN WEB DUE (a) FREE-BODY TO CURVATURE OF: DIAGRAM SHOWING ONLY THE FORCES IN CABLE 4 CABLE 5 Y-DIRECTION PRODUCED BY (b) (c) (d)=(b)+(c) PRESTRESSING SHEAR STRc RESUL =V =V+d\

VERTICAL ^x COMPONENT OF' Y RADIAL FORCE RESULTANT = Rds=dV CABLE 4 CABLE 3 I1 (almost straight)

SECTION AT DISTANCE 10' FROM PIER 2

Fig. 5. Transverse forces in web due to prestressing and their distribution in the section at 10 ft from the pier (Web 1 of south cantilever).

pressive force q at the top and zero at the bottom; and, similarly, that a downward force of intensity q applied at the bottom of a beam would result in a vertical tensile force q at the bottom and zero at the top of the beam with assumed linear variation in between. A more elaborate analysis using finite elements was thought to be of interest but not necessary for the purpose of this investigation. The distribution of the total transverse forces due to the curvature of Cables 4 and 5 is shown in Fig. 5d. The stresses o-, resulting from these forces are given in Fig. 4d. Because of the reduction of the web width by the ducts the vertical tensile stresses are significantly higher at the duct levels than elsewhere. It is interesting to note that the transverse forces alone result in tensile stresses of over 300 psi. With all the stress components known the principal tensile stresses can be computed. The results are plotted in Fig. 4e. The principal tension at the level of the upper two tendons reached a value of 1.43 ksi, a value about three
PCI Journal/July-August 1974

times the tensile strength of the concrete which can be assumed to be 6 J f = 465 psi for the 6000 psi concrete. There is no doubt that the concrete must crack under these stresses. The stresses in the other cantilever webs were smaller but still high enough to cause cracking. In one case, namely, Web 3 of the south cantilever the calculations indicated that the principal tensile stresses were slightly above the value of 465 psi but the web did not show any cracks when first inspected shortly after prestressing. The crack formed, however, about 2 weeks after prestressing. This indicated that our computations were sufficiently accurate. The shear reinforcement provided in the webs (No. 5 bars at 18 in., f, 50 ksi) was not enough to resist the shear forces after the formation of the cracks. The fact that some of the cracks opened more than in. clearly indicated that the stirrups had yielded after cracking. Fortunately enough, the end zones of the cantilevers were well reinforced so that the cracks did not extend to the anchorage zones at the cantilever ends. 81

PIER 2

Fig. 6. Crack pattern of Web 1, south cantilever.

The crack pattern of the most severely cracked web is shown in Fig. 6.
REMEDIAL MEASURES

To repair the cracked webs, two problems had to be solved: 1. What should be the criterion for the design of additional shear reinforcement to be applied by means of vertical prestressing bars introduced adjacent to the two faces of interior webs (Fig. 7), and 2. How could the slanted outside webs be repaired without placing visiI/4 " EPDXY MORTAR NUT

ble bars at the outside faces of the webs. After considering several approaches, it was decided to use as a criterion for the design of the vertical prestressing the condition that the tension at the level of the centroid of the section in the cantilever webs calculated for the untracked homogeneous sections be eliminated. In other words, vertical compressive stresses had to be introduced which reduced the principal stresses at the cenroid to zero. It was assumed that the cracks in the inner vertical webs would close again

^2" ASPHALT 6TOP SLAB

I STEEL ROD WITH PROTECTIVE COATING


1111/ /

Fig. 7. Typical pair of vertical prestressing bars as applied to interior webs.

'1 ^6DIA

_ 1/4 "

EPDXY MORTAR

II/2 THREADED STEEL PLATES


82

cient to resist the radial forces. At the interior webs vertical prestressing bars were arranged in pairs as indicated in Fig. 7. The holes for the bars were drilled as close as possible to the webs in order to minimize local bending stresses in the upper and lower slabs. One in. Stress-Steel bars were anchored by means of threaded steel (2) plates at the bottom and with nut and a we get, after putting a-1 = 0 and solv- steel plate at the top. The 130 ksi steel was stressed to 0.7 f, resulting in the ing for 0_u : (3) (3) prestressing force of 80 kips. a' = T2 /0 To assure proper transfer of load The shear stresses Txy and normal between the anchor plates and the constresses o- were computed for the forces resulting from dead load and crete a bed of high strength epoxy prestressing of Stages 1 and 2 (south mortar (COMA-DUR all purose + Silcantilever) and Stages 1 and 3 (north icasand) was provided (Fig. 7). As already mentioned, the exterior cantilever), respectively. The vertical stress component due to webs were more difficult to repair beradial forces was not considered in the cause no bars could be arranged at the computation of the vertical prestressing outside face of the webs. The fact that forces as it was assumed that the exist- the outside webs were slanted caused ing web reinforcement would be suffi- further difficulties.

under these vertical stresses and that a quasi homogeneous state would be restored. Also, further cracking of endangered sections (along the overlapping cables stressed during Stages 2 and 3) had to be prevented. From the well-known equation for the principal tensile stress: a-.' + 0-' ( 0X aT)2 0"i = 2 4 -I +T ^

;TRESSING BAR AXIS

CRACKS FILLED WITH HIGH STRENGTHfl EPDXY DETAIL A

WEB THICKENING

OUTSIDE FACE OF WEB

DETAIL A

PLATES BOLTED TO WEB WELDED TO STEEL ES (FOR DETAILS SEE FIG 9) HILTI TZD ANCHORS FOR 5/8'BOLTS

HIGH STRENGTH // / TWO-COMPONENT EPDXY(COMADUR LV) :HAULKING MATERIAL (COMA - DUR GEL)

Fig. 8. Cross section of doubled web.

/
/ / /

STEEL PLATE 2)(4: I in. THICK WASHER 5/8" BOLT HORIZONTAL BAR 2- # 5 DEFORMED RE-BARS WELDED STEEL PLATES

HILTI ANCHOR FOR 5/8 ' BOLT / / / *5 /

WEB 1

VIEW A-A

V4

Fig. 9. Details of shear connector at interface between web and web thickening.

Preliminary calculations indicated higher than that of the concrete. To that the arrangement of the bars at the diminish tension in the web, the origiinner side of the web would have intro- nal web and the web thickening had to duced substantial tensile stresses at the be prestressed to the desired level. In the following the computation of outer side of the web. Drilling through the web was impossible because of the the vertical prestressing force required two parallel cables. It was therefore for Web 1 of the south cantilever is decided to thicken the web at the inside shown. The shear forces due to the load of Stages 1 and 2, are given in Fig. 3. as shown in Fig. 8. In order to introduce vertical stresses At a distance 10 ft from the pier the across the wide open cracks after cast- shear force of Stage 1 (810 kips) is reing of the web thickening the cracks duced by the dead load of Stage 2 to had to be sealed and filled. To this end, 618 kips. The corresponding shear stress at the a groove was chiseled at the outside of the web along the crack and filled with centroid is: Sica-Coma-Dur Gel, a caulking mate_VQ_ 618X19.8 rial. 87.Ox18x12 Ib' One-way valves were inserted to al- 0.57 ksi low the filling of the cracks with ComaWith a normal stress of a-,, = 0.66 ksi Dur LV, a two-component epoxy with a compression strength substantially we get according to Eq. (3): 84

(0.57)2 /0.66 = 0.49 ksi To produce a vertical stress in the thickened web (average thickness 40 in.), a force of: Py = 0.49 X 40 = 19.6 kips per in. had to be applied. At a distance of 4 ft from the pier, P, = 3.0 kips per in. and at a distance 6 ft from the pier, only P, = 8.4 kips per in. was required. This resulted in a total number of 19.4 bars. A total number of 20 bars with a spacing of 7.5 in. were applied within the cracked 12 ft of Web 1. The bars were staggered in vertical and inclined planes as shown in Fig. 8. By this arrangement substantial weakening of the top and bottom slabs along the rows of 2 in. holes was avoided. This arrangement was expected to produce shear forces at the interface between the original web and the web thickening, too high to be resisted by bond. To prevent shearing at the interface, mechanical dowels were introduced consisting of % in. Hilti bolts drilled into the web concrete to support a net of reinforcement cast into the added web (Fig. 9). The design of this interface connection was based on the assumption that the forces not resisted by friction had to be taken by bolt shear. The frictional forces at the interface are the result of the prestressing force component normal to the interface. The welds connecting the 1 in. steel plates and the reinforcing bars were applied on the site after the plates had been bolted to the webs. The other reinforcement in the web thickening was tied together in the conventional manner. The concrete was pumped into the forms through three holes which were cored into the top slab. Careful vibration, expansion additives and the slight longitudinal slope of the bridge guara-Xv =

anteed that no gaps were left between the top slab and web thickening. After completion of the stressing the steel plates at the bottom of the bridge were painted with a light grey epoxy paint matching the color of the concrete. The top plates and nuts were coated with a mastic before a 2 in. layer of asphalt was applied.

CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS Careful studies of all stages of construction are required for all structures, particularly in large structures where repairs are rather expensive. Regarding design codes, it would be desirable to include provisions requiring to check that shear cracking is prevented under all stages of construction and under service loads. Two important factors should be incorporated in the computation of principal tensile stresses: Firstly, the tremendous increase of shear stresses at the level of ducts and secondly the vertical tensile stresses resulting from radial forces of tendons with substantial curvatures. The second factor seems to be rather important in zones where tendons are spliced. In the zone of overlapping tendons, special attention must be given to the design of the transverse reinforcement. It is the authors' opinion that the full strength and serviceability of the structure described in this paper has been restored by the remedial measures described.

REFERENCE

1. Leonhardt, F., Prestressed Concrete,. Wilhelm Ernst and Son, Berlin-New York, 1964.
85

PCI Journal/July-August 1974

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