Full Load Test for the Sheikh Jaber Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah Causeway Bridge (PSC Girder: 35 M) †
by
,
Kwangsoo Kim
1, 
Dooyong Cho
2,*,
Raechul Lee
3,
Sangcheol Lee
3,
Joungyong Park
4 and
Inbaek Hwang
1 1
Civil Business Division, AI Safety Institute, Seoul 05818, Republic of Korea
2
Department of Convergence System Engineering, Chungnam National University, Daejoen 34134, Republic of Korea
3
Civil Business Division, SQ Engineering, Seoul 05818, Republic of Korea
4
Civil Business Division, Korea Construction Disaster-Prevention Research, Seoul 05836, Republic of Korea
*
Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
†
Presented at the Second International Conference on Maintenance and Rehabilitation of Constructed Infrastructure Facilities, Honolulu, HI, USA, 16–19 August 2023.
Eng. Proc. 2023, 36(1), 41; https://doi.org/10.3390/engproc2023036041
Published: 14 July 2023
(This article belongs to the Proceedings of The Second International Conference on Maintenance and Rehabilitation of Constructed Infrastructure Facilities (MAIREINFRA2))
Abstract
:The Sheikh Jaber Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah Causeway consists of an asymmetric cable-stayed bridge (340 m) and a prestressed concrete (PSC) box girder bridge (35.80 km) linking Kuwait City and Northern Kuwait. The full load tests were performed on the PSC box girder bridge and the load scale was set to 14,092 kNm which was 98.47% of the maximum design moment (14,310 kNm). A total of 12 individual 40 tonf dump trucks were exerted on the bridge for the tests. Based on the influence line of the target bridge, displacement sensors, and strain gauges were installed at the points where the maximum bending moment would occur. The collected deflection and strain data were compared with the finite element method analysis to analyze the change in stiffness of the bridge. From the analysis, it was found that higher stiffness behavior was identified compared to the design load.
1. Introduction
The target structure of this paper is a marine bridge with a total length of 36.14 km that connects Kuwait City to the new city of Subiyah, as shown in Figure 1.
The span composition of this marine bridge was constructed with an asymmetric cable-stayed bridge (340 m), which is the main bridge, and a PSC box girder bridge (35.80 km), and the initial value data, which are the basic foundation for the maintenance entity to carry out efficient maintenance work, were obtained.
Although the initial value data vary somewhat depending on the requirements of the ordering organization, which is the managing entity for the relevant bridge, the results of deflection and strain tests are basically obtained, and to that end, a full load test was performed.
2. Measuring Instrument Installation
In this load test, a total of three types of measuring instruments were used, which are LVDT, strain gauge, and total station. The linear variable displacement transducer (LVDT) was installed at the position of the elastomeric bearing at the supporting point to measure the amount of deflection of the bearing, and the strain gauges were installed inside the box girder to obtain the strain value as shown in Figure 2. In addition, considering that the space under the bridge is the sea, the amount of deflection was measured using the total station at the top of the bridge.
During the measurement, the data loggers were placed along the shortest moving line to minimize noise, and two data loggers were used to that end.
Measuring Instrument Installation Location
The location of the prism installed on the top of the bridge and the location of the strain gauge installed inside the box are shown in Figure 3, and the total station was located outside the expansion joint of the relevant span to eliminate the influence of loaded vehicles.
3. Load Test
3.1. Loading Vehicle Location Map
The target load for the load test was set as the design moment (14,310 kNm), and to that end, the number of trucks and the size of the load were determined through finite element analysis in advance. The sectional moment generated by the truckload used in this case was set as 14,092 kNm, which is 98.47% of the design load. Twelve 40 tonf dump trucks were loaded in the longitudinal and transverse directions as shown in Figure 4.
3.2. Finite Element Analysis
It was determined to set the target load as close to the design moment as possible, and to that end, the load positions, and the load, which was 98.47% of the design moment, were determined through repetitive finite element analyses [3,4].
The deflection and strain values calculated as a result of the finite element analyses were compared and analyzed with the measured resultant values to verify the adequacy of the behavior of the theoretical structure and to quantitatively calculate the variation in the stiffness of the actual structure compared to the design, as shown as Figure 5.
3.3. PSC Results of Test of the Resilience of the PSC Girder
After the load test, additional amounts of defection were checked while maintaining the loaded vehicles for 24 h, but there was no change. In addition, it was identified that when all 12 loaded vehicles were removed, all the deflection was restored.
3.4. Results of Measurement of the Amount of Defection and Strain
The measured values of the amount of deflection and strain were compared with the values obtained analytically, and as a result of the comparison at the maximum point of the positive moment, a maximum response ratio of 1.12 was derived in the deflection, and a result exceeding the predetermined reference value was obtained in strain, as shown in Figure 6 and Table 1.
4. Conclusions
This study was conducted to provide basic data for planning and execution of maintenance work in use hereafter by performing load tests at the time of completion of the bridge and analyzing the measurement results. By analyzing the results of the test performed in a limited range, it was confirmed that the stress range and mechanical behavior characteristics were similar to the results of the analysis.
Author Contributions
Conceptualization, K.K. and R.L.; methodology, K.K.; software, J.P.; validation, J.P., I.H. and S.L.; formal analysis, K.K.; investigation, S.L.; resources, R.L.; data curation, I.H.; writing—original draft preparation, K.K.; writing—review and editing, D.C.; visualization, D.C.; supervision, D.C.; project administration, S.L.; funding acquisition, R.L. All authors have read and agreed to the published version of the manuscript.
Funding
This research received no external funding.
Institutional Review Board Statement
Not Applicable.
Informed Consent Statement
Not Applicable.
Data Availability Statement
Not Applicable.
Conflicts of Interest
The authors declare no conflict of interest.
References
- Bathe, K.-J. Formulation of the Finite Element Method. In Finite Element Procedures; Prentice Hall: Englewood Cliffs, NJ, USA, 1995; pp. 153–186. [Google Scholar]
- Hambly, E.C. Box Girder Deck. Bridge Deck Behaviour, 2nd ed.; E & FN SPON: London, UK, 1991; pp. 135–156. [Google Scholar]
- Logan, D.L. Development of Beam Equations. In A First Course in the Finite Element Method; PWS Publishing Company: Boston, MA, USA, 1993; pp. 151–187. [Google Scholar]
- Precast Prestressed Concrete Bridge Design Manual; PCI: Chicago, MI, USA, 1997; Volume 1, pp. 354–387.
Figure 1.
Target facility location map.
Figure 2.
Diagram of the measurement system for data acquisition.
Figure 3.
Diagram of the location where the measurement instrument was installed. (a) Locations of the total station and prism; (b) Location where the strain gauge was installed.
Figure 3.
Diagram of the location where the measurement instrument was installed. (a) Locations of the total station and prism; (b) Location where the strain gauge was installed.
Figure 4.
Diagram of longitudinal and transverse positions of the loaded vehicles. (a) Longitudinal positions of the loaded vehicles; (b) Transverse positions of the loaded vehicles.
Figure 4.
Diagram of longitudinal and transverse positions of the loaded vehicles. (a) Longitudinal positions of the loaded vehicles; (b) Transverse positions of the loaded vehicles.
Figure 5.
Results of finite element analyses. (a) Diagram of defection by the loaded vehicles; (b) Diagram of stress by the loaded vehicle.
Figure 5.
Results of finite element analyses. (a) Diagram of defection by the loaded vehicles; (b) Diagram of stress by the loaded vehicle.
Figure 6.
Results of analysis and measurement of defection.
Table 1.
Results of analysis and measurement of stress.
| Classification | Analysis (MPa) | Measurement (MPa) | Limit Stress (MPa) | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Compression | Tensile | ||||
| PSC Girder (35 m) | Top | −0.94 | −1.01 | −22.50 | 1.767 |
| Bottom | 1.37 | 1.13 | −24.88 | ||
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MDPI and ACS Style
Kim, K.; Cho, D.; Lee, R.; Lee, S.; Park, J.; Hwang, I. Full Load Test for the Sheikh Jaber Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah Causeway Bridge (PSC Girder: 35 M). Eng. Proc. 2023, 36, 41. https://doi.org/10.3390/engproc2023036041
AMA Style
Kim K, Cho D, Lee R, Lee S, Park J, Hwang I. Full Load Test for the Sheikh Jaber Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah Causeway Bridge (PSC Girder: 35 M). Engineering Proceedings. 2023; 36(1):41. https://doi.org/10.3390/engproc2023036041
Chicago/Turabian StyleKim, Kwangsoo, Dooyong Cho, Raechul Lee, Sangcheol Lee, Joungyong Park, and Inbaek Hwang. 2023. "Full Load Test for the Sheikh Jaber Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah Causeway Bridge (PSC Girder: 35 M)" Engineering Proceedings 36, no. 1: 41. https://doi.org/10.3390/engproc2023036041
