ULTIMATE LOAD CAPACITY OF REINFORCED CONCRETE BEAM-AND-SLAB HIGHWAY BRIDGES

A PROCEDURE FOR ESTIMATING THE ULTIMATE LOAD CAPACITY OF REINFORCED CONCRETE BEAM-AND-SLAB HIGHWAY BRIDGES OF MODERATE SPAN IS DESCRIBED. IT TAKES INTO ACCOUNT THE RESISTANCE PROVIDED BY BENDING HINGES, TORSIONAL HINGES, AND SLAB YIELD LINES. MECHANISMS OF FAILURE ARE PROPOSED, AND ULTIMATE LOAD TESTS OF 1/10 AND 1/4 SCALE MODELS DEMONSTRATED THAT THESE MECHANISMS ARE IN FACT DEVELOPED IF SECONDARY FAILURES, PARTICULARLY THOSE CAUSED BY THE INTERACTION OF SHEAR AND TORSION, ARE PREVENTED. THE ULTIMATE LOAD CAPACITY OF A BEAM-AND-SLAB BRIDGE MAY BE PREDICTED WITH REASONABLE ACCURACY USING ASSUMED MECHANISMS OF FAILURE AND ULTIMATE STRENGTH DESIGN METHODS. /AUTHOR/