Analytical Methods for Prediction of Collapse Load in Single-Cell Concrete Box Girder Bridges

Abstract

This paper presents a study on the estimation of collapse load in single-cell box girder bridges under different modes of failure and the best suitable method to predict collapse load in each different case. Experimental investigations along with theoretical and numerical studies were conducted to obtain the ultimate load in a single-cell concrete box girder bridge. The theoretical methods that provide simplified equations for predicting the collapse load of a structure were the space truss analogy and the collapse mechanism, which are based on the plastic theory of concrete structures. The results obtained from these two theoretical methods were then compared with experimental and numerical results. It is observed that the otherwise suitable space truss analogy fails to provide safe results in some cases of eccentric loading. The paper demonstrates the demarcation between different analytical methods, highlighting the complexities in each different analysis and the accuracy of the results in various scenarios.