Title:
Prestressed Concrete Bridges in India
Author(s):
Ram Kumar and M. V. B. Rao
Publication:
Concrete International
Volume:
25
Issue:
10
Appears on pages(s):
75-81
Keywords:
DOI:
Date:
10/1/2003
Abstract:
The national highway (NH) network in India is about 58,700 km long and includes roughly 9000 bridges. It is estimated that 1400 of these bridges are in different states of distress—400 of them needing immediate attention. Presently, the investigation of distressed bridges occurs on a case-by-case basis, mostly through nondestructive or proof load testing. In an attempt to find a faster investigation method, we compared the results of the FRM to the results from proof load tests (coupled with data from nondestructive tests) of two distressed PC bridges in India. This article compares the structural integrity of a few selected spans of the two PC bridges based on nondestructive tests, proof load tests, and the FRM. The authors discuss inferences drawn from a detailed theoretical analysis, as well as the results obtained from the field tests, on the two bridges.