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Implementation and Field Testing of Improved Bridge Parapet Designs

Kalabon, Amy Elizabeth
http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=csu1399314661

Abstract Details

2014, Master of Science in Civil Engineering, Cleveland State University, Washkewicz College of Engineering.
Premature cracking of concrete bridge parapets is a potentially complex problem, with a number of possible causes. Identifying the cause of premature cracking, and avoiding this problem in the future has several benefits, including: a potential cost savings for the district, improving the safety of these structures in future construction, and increasing the overall understanding of parapets. The objective of this study was to analyze the reasons for uncontrolled cracking in order to establish an improved parapet design, and provide recommendations to the Ohio Department of Transportation (ODOT) to prevent such cracking in the future. Previous research carried out a forensic investigation of four bridges in Northeast Ohio that exhibited extensive parapet cracking. In many cases, vertical cracks appeared between control joints. The study evaluated a number of hypotheses as to the causes of cracking, which were utilized in developing modifications to implement on test parapets for continued research. Potential factors examined in this study to continue research included: properties of the concrete mixtures used, construction methods, joint details, composite structural action, and durability of the concrete and reinforcement. A total of 22 test parapets were constructed as part of this project to evaluate different approaches to address premature cracking. In this study, 15 of the 22 parapets were constructed and examined. Not enough information was gathered thus far on the use of deeper saw cuts through glass fiber reinforced polymer (GFRP) reinforcement or field cut steel reinforcement to determine if this modification is a cost-effective choice. The parapets that included polypropylene fibers in the mixture did not perform any differently than the parapets without fiber in regards to early age cracking. Fibers may not have been needed with the concrete mixture that was used to prevent shrinkage or thermal cracking, but it may prove to be an efficient modification in the future by improving the durability and service life of parapets. Reducing the joint spacing over the negative moment regions of the bridge is an important modification that should be included in the design of concrete bridge parapets.
Norbert Delatte, PhD (Committee Chair)
Lutful Khan, PhD (Committee Member)
Mehdi Jalalpour, PhD (Committee Member)
Civil Engineering; Engineering
Bridge parapets, concrete, cracking, improved parapet designs, joint details, deeper saw cuts, fibers, GFRP

Recommended Citations

Citations

  • Kalabon, A. E. (2014). Implementation and Field Testing of Improved Bridge Parapet Designs [Master's thesis, Cleveland State University]. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=csu1399314661

    APA Style (7th edition)

  • Kalabon, Amy. Implementation and Field Testing of Improved Bridge Parapet Designs. 2014. Cleveland State University, Master's thesis. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center, http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=csu1399314661.

    MLA Style (8th edition)

  • Kalabon, Amy. "Implementation and Field Testing of Improved Bridge Parapet Designs." Master's thesis, Cleveland State University, 2014. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=csu1399314661

    Chicago Manual of Style (17th edition)

csu1399314661
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© 2014, all rights reserved.
This open access ETD is published by Cleveland State University and OhioLINK.