Title: An Evaluation of the Fatigue Behavior of High-Strength/High-Performance Concrete Bulb-Tee Girders

Author(s): C.B. Tanner and P.H. Ziehl

Publication: Symposium Paper

Volume: 228

Issue:

Appears on pages(s): 381-394

Keywords: bulb-tee girder, fatigue behavior, high-strength/high-performance concrete

DOI: 10.14359/14482

Date: 6/1/2005

Abstract:
Three 29 m (96 ft.) long, 1.8 m (72 in.) deep bulb-tee girders were fabricatedand tested as part of an ongoing investigation. The girders were designed using a 56-day compressive strength of 69 MPa (10,000 psi). A 3 m (10 ft.) wide, 200 mm (8 in.)thick deck slab was cast on each girder. One girder, designated BT6, was designedusing AASHTO Standard Specifications, 16th Edition, 1996 and the remaining two, BT7and BT8, were designed using AASHTO LRFD Specifications, 2nd Edition, 1998.Each girder was tested under fatigue loading up to 5 million cycles or fatigue failure.BT6 was tested at a maximum extreme fiber tensile stress of MPafc'5.0 (psifc'0.6)of the design concrete compressive strength and successfully completed 5 millioncycles. The maximum tensile stress for BT7 was determined from the measured concrete compressive strength of 90.0 MPa (13,050 psi) and the expression 0 (psifc'5.7). The maximum tensile stress for BT8 was determined fromthe design concrete compressive strength and the expression MPafc'62.0(psifc'5.7). Girders BT7 and BT8 experienced fatigue failure at approximately 1.6million and 2.25 million cycles, respectively.