The New Wide-Flange Girder

Family in California: Benefits and

Capabilities
Caltrans-PCMAC Seminar
November 17, 2009

Outline

Capabilities and Benefits

Design Examples

Pretensioned (Threaded-Rod) Alternative

Post-Tensioned Alternative

Future Innovations

Super Girder

Up to 70 strands
WWR
Long span capability
Can be P/T

CA Wide Flange

Pretensioned

Post Tensioned

WF Bottom
Flange
#5 Stirrup
WWR
3 5/8 diameter
ducts
54 Straight strand
14 Harped strand
5

Guyons Efficiency Factor

2

r
=
yt yb

r=

I
A
6

Non-Composite Section

Composite Section

Girder Spacing = 10 ft

WF Span Capabilities 0.6 Strand

Simple Span
Girder Spacing = 10 ft

D
= 0.045
S

Live Load Distribution Factors

Simple Span
Girder Spacing = 10 ft

10

WF Capabilities Summary
D/S = 0.04 (Continuous)
D/S = 0.045 (Simple)
Spacing 10 12 ft
Span 200 ft
19 0.6 in. Strand
Tendons

11

Innovations
Welded Wire
Reinforcement
Self Consolidating
Concrete
Threaded Rod Continuity
No End Blocks
Pre-bent Stirrups

12

Design Examples

13

WF Girder Alternatives
Threaded Rod Alternative:
Pretensioned Girders
Continuous for deck weight

Post Tensioned Alternative

2-stage P/T
Pretensioned for girder self weight

14

Threaded Rod Continuity

15

Threaded Rod Continuity

16

Threaded Rod Continuity

17

Threaded Rod Continuity Deck Moments

6000

5000
Moment resistance
fs = 54 ksi
ld = 5 ft

4000

3000

Moment (k-ft)

2000

1000

0
0

20

40

60

80

120

Distance from CL Bent (ft)

-1000

-2000
Deck weight moment demand
-3000

18
-4000

100

140

160

180

Post-tensioned Alternative

19

Analysis Considerations
Elastic behavior no redistribution
Lump-sum losses
Deflections superimposed from each stage
Sag soffit profile not allowed
CT Bridge used for live load and P/T

20

Threaded Rod Alternative

21

P/T Alternative Girder Details

22

Girder Post-tensioning

23

Midspan Deflections (in)

Girder + pretension
Stage 1 P/T
Deck weight
Stage 2 P/T
SDL

0.4 in.
2.5 in.
-2.6 in.
0.5 in.
-0.5 in.

Total

0.5 in.

Note: Positive is upward

24

Girder Shear

25

MCFT Shear Capacity

Vn = Vc + Vs + V p 0.25 f cbv d v

26

Girder Shear NCHRP 579

27

Abutments

Post-tensioned Alternative

28

Threaded Rod Alternative

Bent Cap

29

30

UCSD

31

Cost Analysis

Item
Superstructure

Threaded
Rod

Posttensioned

CIP Box

$2,034,000

$2,130,000

$2,515,000

Substructure

$770,000

$1,140,000

$1,055,000

Other*

$398,000

$330,000

$304,000

$3,202,000

$3,600,000

$3,874,000

Total

*Includes approach slab, concrete barriers and joint seal

32

33

Future Innovations
0.7 in. Strand
Full-depth precast deck
panels
Railroad applications
Prefabricated substructure
connections

34

WF Capabilities
Simple Span
Girder Spacing = 10 ft

35

Pacific Street Bridge over I-680

Omaha, NE
10 NU900 girders spaced 10 ft -8 in
30-0.7 in straight strands spaced 2 in horizontally and 2.5 in
vertically
Two spans 98 ft each with TR continuity
Opened to traffic in August 2008
D/S = 0.038

36

37

38

Acknowledgements

39