Numerical Assessment of Phased Constructed Steel Girder Bridges

Closure pour is the third phase of phased construction of the replacement or new construction of a bridge’s deck. This method, commonly used by state departments of transportation (DOTs), allows for traffic to be operated on half of the bridge when the other half is being re-decked. Thus, it maintains traffic flow during construction. However, differential elevation of phases during the construction sequence results in a situation in which the second half of the deck cannot be poured in one step. Therefore, a closure pour is used to connect the slabs of the first two phases as the third phase procedure. The closure pour increases and extends construction cost and time. The proposed project performs a numerical assessment to evaluate the differences elevation between phase one and phase two of construction of a steel girder bridge, which would cause issues for closure pour. Then monitor the elevation differences between the first and the second phases’ poured decks by installing deformation sensors at a bridge construction site in order to obtain the actual displacement of the model. The Plattsmouth Bridge is an active case and instance of this project. In addition, this project methodology includes a “Numerical Model Assessment” that will use a new finite element program called CSI Bridge. Comparison of data collected from experimental techniques, numerical assessment, and the HDR consultant’s plan of the Plattsmouth Bridge will be considered in this project. Adviser: Terri R. Norto