Fatigue capacity of a new connection system for a prestressed concrete hybrid truss web girder

Abstract

To replace a steel box bridge with construction of medium-span bridges in Korea, prestressed concrete box girder bridges with steel truss web members, also known as hybrid truss bridges (HTBs), are being considered as an alternative bridge type. The core technology of HTB is the connection joint that links the concrete slabs and steel truss pipes. Various construction companies in Japan have developed unique connection systems and applied them to real bridge constructions after verifying their performance through experimental evaluation. In this study, static fatigue tests of a hybrid truss girder have been performed to verify static and fatigue capacities of the newly proposed hinge-type connection system with circular ribs. Based on structural finite-element analysis simulations of the joint's fatigue test result, the simulation results proved that the proposed connection joint has sufficient fatigue capacity for structural application. Finally, it is expected that the hinge connection system with circular ribs developed in this study can be easily applied to real HTB bridge construction.