Use of Longitudinal Expansion Joints in Wide-Bridge Applications to Reduce Deck Cracking

AbstractIt is a very common practice to use longitudinal expansion joints to create dual-direction bridges in applications that would have otherwise resulted in bridges that are very wide. Unfortunately, the introduced longitudinal expansion joint can result in deterioration similar to that resulting from using transverse joints at bridge abutments and piers. The reason that longitudinal expansion joints are used in wide bridges is related to concerns about deck cracking resulting from constrained expansion and contraction. The main objective of this research was to evaluate the need for longitudinal expansion joints by assessing the relationship between bridge width (and other factors) and the propensity for deck cracking. To achieve this objective, an integral abutment bridge was selected to conduct live-load and thermal-load testing to provide field testing data for the calibration of a three-dimensional (3D) finite-element model (FEM) that would be used for a comprehensive parametric study. A combinat...