| Description |
The purpose of this study was to understand the effects of service loading on bridge components that are associated in formation of "bumps": bridge approach slabs undergo deterioration due to consistent loading from the roadway traffic as well as the settlement of the embankment material underneath, which ultimately gives rise to bumps at the end of the bridges. For this purpose, several models were developed with different configurations of the approach slab, sleeper slab, and concrete compressive strength. Validation of the deflection of the approach slab with the movement of wheels was studied. Based on this study, on average, with an increase in compressive strength of concrete from 4 ksi to 8 ksi decreased the maximum tensile strains in concrete parts by a significant 41.4%. Similarly, using 10 ft. sleeper slabs reduced the degree of rotation of approach slabs on average by 5.51% for 25 ft. slabs and increased the degree of rotation of approach slabs by 3.20% for 50 ft. slabs. Also, increasing the thickness of concrete parts from 13in. to 15 in. showed that the maximum tensile strains developed decreased by 10.3% on average. The degree of rotation decreased by 3.76% on average for 25 ft. approach slabs and increased by 2.74% on average for 50 ft. approach slabs. To conclude, the variables used in this study suggested that the increasing concrete compressive strength, increasing the thickness of the approach slab and sleeper slab, as well as increasing the width of sleeper slabs help minimize the likelihood of concrete cracking as well as the rotation of concrete approach slabs. |
