Externally Prestressed High Strength Concrete Viaduct

Abstract

This paper presents an externally prestressed high strength concrete viaduct designed and erected in Spain. This viaduct, a three-span (41 + 50 + 41 m) continuous beam, has been designed and built with a 60-MPa strength concrete and a fully external replaceable prestressing. The paper describes the bridge, the erection procedure, the ultimate analysis performed with a nonlinear finite-element numerical model, and the thermal stresses measured and calculated at the anchorage diaphragms due to the hydration heat of the concrete. The results of the static tests carried out on the bridge also are commented upon.