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CHAPTER 1 - INTRODUCTION
1.1. Integral Bridge Concept
A bridge should be designed such that it is safe, aesthetically pleasing, and
economical. Prior to the 1960s, almost every bridge in the U.S. was built with expansion
joints. These expansion joints often did not perform as well as intended. They required
considerable maintenance, which undermined the economical operation of the bridges.
Accident and vehicle damage caused by defective expansion joints raised safety
concerns. Starting in the early 1960s, the use of jointless bridges for new bridge
construction attracted widespread interest.
Jointless bridges can be classified into four groups (Wolde-Tinsea and Klinger,
1987):
• flexible arch bridges,
• slip joint bridges,
• abutmentless bridges, and
• integral bridges
In the U.S., the term integral bridge usually refers to bridges with short stub-type
abutments connected rigidly to the bridge deck without joints. This rigid connection
allows the abutment and the superstructure to act as a single structural unit (Figure 1.1).
Typically, single rows of piles provide foundation support for the abutments.
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1.2. Objectives and Scope of Research
As temperatures change daily and seasonally, the lengths of integral bridges increase
and decrease, pushing the abutment against the approach fill and pulling it away. As a
result the bridge superstructure, the abutment, the approach fill, the foundation piles and
the foundation soil are all subjected to cyclic loading, and understanding their
interactions is important for effective design and satisfactory performance of integral
bridges.
The ability of piles to accommodate lateral displacements is a significant factor in
determining the maximum possible length of integral bridges. In order to build longer
integral bridges, pile stresses should be kept low. Thus, the primary objectives of this
research are:
1. Conduct a literature review to establish the current state of knowledge with regard
to cyclic loading damage to piles of integral bridges,
2. Investigate the rotational behavior of a VDOT semi-integral abutment through
large scale laboratory experiments,
3. Investigate the ability of a VDOT semi-integral abutment to withstand cyclic
loading induced by temperature variations through large scale laboratory
experiments,
4. Investigate the ability of three pile types (H-pile, pipe pile, and prestressed
reinforced concrete pile) to withstand cyclic lateral displacements induced by
temperature variations,
5. Investigate the significance of the interactions among the abutment, the approach
fill, the foundation soil, and the piles through finite element analyses, and
6. Investigate the possibility of using simple procedures for design of piles
supporting integral bridges.
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1.3. Contents of Dissertation
A literature review concerning the cyclic loading damage to piles of integral bridges
is presented in Chapter 2. A summary of the formulation and the available solution
methods for the laterally loaded pile problem is also included in this chapter.
Chapter 3 discusses the effects of temperature variation on integral abutment bridges.
A procedure to consider both daily and seasonal temperature cycles in experimental
testing is proposed. This procedure was used for the abutment and the pile experiments
described in Chapters 4 and 5.
Chapter 4 presents the design, the construction, the test setup, and the findings of the
experimental program on VDOT semi-integral abutments that were subjected to static
and cyclic load tests in the laboratory. Discussions, conclusions, and recommendations
about the research program are also provided.
Chapter 5 presents the design, the construction, the test setup, and the findings of the
experimental program on three piles types (H-pile, pipe pile, and prestressed reinforced
concrete pile). All piles were subjected to cyclic load tests in the laboratory.
Chapter 6 presents the findings of series of finite element analyses that were
performed to investigate the significance of interactions among the abutment, the
approach fill, the foundation soil, and the piles. The possibility of using simple
procedures for design of the piles was also investigated and the findings of the
investigations are presented. Discussions of the results of the analyses and
recommendations for future research are presented at the end of this chapter.
Chapter 7 contains the conclusions and recommendations drawn from the research.
Recommendations for future studies and research are given at the end of this chapter.
Appendix A contains a research report presented to the Virginia Transportation
Research Council (VTRC) in 1999 by the author, Prof. J. M. Duncan, and Prof. R. M.
Barker. This report discusses the behavior of integral abutment bridges based on a
literature review, a field trip and a finite element analysis.
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Bridge system
Approach system
Pavement Approach slab Superstructure Approach slab Pavement
Sleeper
Sleeper slab
slab Abutment Abutment
Backfill Backfill
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Approach slabs and sleeper
slabs are optional elements
Foundation
Foundation
Figure 1.1. Simplified geometry of an integral abutment bridge
CHAPTER 1
