Date of Award
1998
Document Type
Thesis
Publication Status
Version of Record
Submission Date
October 2026
Thesis/Dissertation Advisor [Chair]
Arockiasamy, Madasamy
Abstract
The present study was mainly directed towards the analyses of comprehensive field test data, moment and shear load distribution of continuous slab-on-girder bridges, and effects of skew angle, diaphragms, and shoulders on the wheel load distribution factors. Analytical and field studies on the wheel load distribution of continuous slab-on-girder bridges are presented and compared with those based on the AASHTO and LRFD codes. The main parameters that affect moment and shear load distribution are compared for single and multiple span bridges. The study on moment and shear load distribution focuses on five main parameters: spacing between the girders, variation of skew angle, variation in the number of spans, ratio between adjacent two spans, and span length. The effect of diaphragms on wheel load distribution was first evaluated for a field test bridge and compared with a finite element model of the actual bridge. The diaphragm parameters that affect the wheel load distribution were studied to evaluate the effect of each parameter.
Extent
195 p.
Recommended Citation
Bell, Nathaniel Bodecker, "Load distribution of continuous bridges using field data and finite element analysis" (1998). Electronic Theses and Dissertations 1990 - 1999. 1331.
https://digitalcommons.fau.edu/etd_general_4/1331
Identifier
FADT15556
Comments
College of Engineering and Computer Science|FAU Electronic Theses and Dissertations Collection|Thesis (M.S.C.E.)--Florida Atlantic University, 1998.|College of Engineering and Computer Science