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  • Article
    Citation - WoS: 3
    Citation - Scopus: 2
    Performance of a Prestressed Concrete Pedestrian Bridge System Under Equivalent Static Lateral Impact Loads
    (Asce-amer Soc Civil Engineers, 2013) Baran, Eray; Schultz, Arturo E.; French, Catherine E.
    The resistance of prestressed concrete through-girder (PCTG) pedestrian bridges to lateral loads was studied in response to the increasing number of vehicular impacts in the United States. This research was motivated by the lack of reported studies analyzing the behavior of such bridges to lateral impact loads, as well as their potential vulnerability in comparison with bridges that are better able to redistribute and transfer locally applied impact loads through alternate load paths. Pedestrian bridges are of lighter construction than highway bridges and they do not have the high degree of redundancy, making them more vulnerable to collapse in the event of vehicular impact. Results from static lateral load analyses using three-dimensional, geometrically nonlinear, full-scale finite element (FE) models of a typical bridge system and bridge subassemblages were used to evaluate the characteristics of the system. The FE models were calibrated with experimental test data on typical subassemblages and connection details for PCTG bridges. Results of the experimental part of the program have already been published elsewhere. This paper summarizes the observations obtained from nonlinear static FE analyses of a PCTG pedestrian bridge system subjected to lateral impact loads. The analyses indicated that the location of impact, the type of connector, and the flexibility of the end support details affected bridge performance. Improved connection details are suggested for enhanced PCTG pedestrian bridge performance.
  • Article
    Citation - WoS: 38
    Citation - Scopus: 43
    Experimental and Numerical Analysis of a Bolted Connection in Steel Transmission Towers
    (Elsevier Sci Ltd, 2016) Baran, Eray; Akis, Toga; Sen, Gokmen; Draisawi, Ammar
    This paper presents an integrated numerical and experimental study on a bolted splice connection used in main legs of steel lattice transmission towers. At specific locations, where the number of angle sections in built-up cross section of main leg members changes, the complex geometry around the connection region results in eccentricities in the load path and indirect load transfer. Such complex configurations and uncertainties in the load path have led to overdesigned connections with increased number of bolts and redundant connection reinforcing members. The current study was conducted in an attempt to gain a better understanding of the load-flow mechanism at this specific location where the cross section of main leg members changes. The experimental part included tensile load testing of six specimens with different connection details. The main parameters used in the testing program were the number of bolts used in the connection as well as the presence of connection reinforcement angles and tie plate. For all connection configurations studied, the failure occurred due to net section fracture of upper main member angle near leading bolt holes. The calculated load capacity based on the measured material strength closely predicted the measured load capacity of specimens. The experimentally determined response of each connection configuration was better predicted by the FE model that incorporates bolt slip as compared to the model that assumes no slip. The experimental and numerical results also indicate that major differences among the investigated connection details do not cause any appreciable difference in behavior under tensile loading. (C) 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.